• Bilawal was virtually addressing a session of the UN Human Rights Council.
• He termed the desecration of the Holy Quran as an attack on the Muslim faith.
• He said the desecration of the Holy Quran continued with a sense of impunity.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari regretted that unfortunately, the deliberate desecration of the Holy Quran had continued under government sanction and with a sense of impunity.

The foreign minister was virtually addressing a session of an urgent debate held by the UN Human Rights Council on acts of religious hatred including the incident of the desecration of the Holy Quran.

Bilawal called upon the world to stand united against hatred, discrimination, and intolerance, and promote mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance.

Increasingly, the foreign minister said these acts were designed to maximize propagating hate. “We must see this incitement to hatred, discrimination, and attempts to provoke violence. We must join hands in condemning it, we must isolate those who stroke hatred,” he said.

He said three months ago the first international day to combat Islamophobia was observed where the first-ever session was held to mark the occasion at the UN General Assembly.

The minister said the Holy Quran was a spiritual anchor for two billion Muslims. “It is important to understand the deep hurt that at the public and premeditated act of Quran’s desecration causes to Muslims,” he remarked.

Terming the desecration of the Holy Quran as an attack on the Muslim faith, Bilawal said the call in the draft text presented before this council for prevention and accountability was reasonable and necessary.

The minister said that hate speech and free speech must be segregated as free speech was as indispensable as hate speech was indefensible.

There is not a single Muslim country on the planet that allows to the desecration of the holy text of other religions, he said adding such an act is unthinkable to any Muslim. “It is forbidden by faith, by culture, and by law,” he said.