FM calls for building bridges among religions

ISLAMABAD: Highlighting the disturbing rise in Islamophobia across the globe, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi urged the international community on Wednesday to “build bridges and respect each other’s religions and beliefs”.

He was delivering virtual address on Islamophobia at a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) which commemorated its 15th anniversary. The event was co-hosted by the foreign ministers of Spain and Turkey, and chaired by the High Representative of UNAOC. Qureshi commended the work of the Alliance of Civilisations in advancing mutual respect for diverse cultures, traditions and religious beliefs. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the promotion of inter-faith and inter-cultural harmony.

He mentioned that recent manifestation of this commitment was the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, the world’s largest Gurdwara, allowing easy access to Sikhs from the neighbourhood and all across the world to practice their religious rites.