ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the Muslim countries to unite against Islamophobia and told the West that attack on Islam and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) will provide space for radical and far-right groups to exploit the situation.
“The West conveniently associated Islam with terrorism but in the last 20 years, Muslim countries unfortunately, did not respond to this narrative,” he said while addressing the Ulema and Mashaikh Conference in Islamabad today (Monday).
The premier said, “Muslim leaders should have stood up to the West and made it clear that there is no link between Islam, or any other religion, with terrorism.”
He also pointed out that extremists exist in all societies, but when western countries started using terms like ‘radical Islam’, and ‘Islamic extremism’, Muslim leaders did nothing to counter this disinformation campaign.
“Before 9/11, suicide bombings were majorly carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, a group comprising Hindus, but nobody associated Hinduism with terrorism,” he said.
The Prime Minister also gave example of Japanese, saying that before World War II, the Japanese also carried out suicide attacks on American ships but no one associated their religion with terrorism.
PM Imran also pointed out that Muslims living in western countries, even in India, were facing a lot of problems. “When Muslim women in the West go out of their houses wearing a headscarf, people taunt them,” the PM said.
He further said that since he understands the West better than others, he has raised the issue of Islamophobia on all forums from time to time. “No matter what happens, I will continue to raise my voice against Islamophobia at every platofrom,” he vowed.
Praising religious scholars, PM Imran said that religious scholars have historically played an important role in the creation of Pakistan. “They should make the masses aware of the concept of Riyasat-e-Madina,” he added.
The PM added that when people forget the distinction between good and bad, society moves toward disintegration and destruction.
“It is my faith that any nation which follows the concept of Riyasat-e-Madina will move towards advancement,” he added.
