Pak PM Imran Khan pens letter to Muslim leaders to counter 'Islamophobia' after France beheading

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has penned a letter to the leaders of Muslim states. Khan is attempting to collectivise leaders against “Islamophobia” in non-Muslim countries, especially in the West in the aftermath of France beheading.

On Twitter, Khan said that the “Islamophobia” had caused concern among Muslims all over the world.

Addressing the letter to “Leaders of the Muslim States”, Imran Khan wrote “Today, we are confronting a growing concern and restlessness amongst our Ummah as they see the rising tide of Islamophobia and attacks, through ridicule and mockery on our beloved Prophet PBUH in the Western world, especially Europe”.

Khan referred to the closure of mosques in Europe, and claimed that “Muslim women are being denied their right to wear clothing of their choice in the public domain”.

The Pakistan PM also claimed that Muslims living in these countries face continuous discrimination. Attempting to label European countries as ignorant, Khan added that such discrimination arises from “lack of understanding of the intrinsic deep passion, love and devotion Muslims all over the world have for their Prophet”.

Even though he did not directly mention the beheading of the French teacher, who had shown caricatures of Prophet Mohammad in his class, and had even urged Muslims to leave the class while he did the same in a bid to avoid hurting sentiments, Khan referred to recent events as a series of “actions and reactions”.

He urged the Muslim leaders to “take the lead in breaking this cycle of hate and extremism, which nurtures violence and even death”. He also requested them to reach out to Western countries, referring to them as “the other”, in a bid to end cycles of “violence bred of ignorance and hate”.

Saying that value systems differ for various social, religious, and ethnic groups, Khan referred to the Holocaust, while adding that he “understands” why European countries criminalise criticism of the mass persecution of Jews under Hitler.

Referring to the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir as the “illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir”, Khan claimed how Muslims had been persecuted across the globe, while also giving examples of Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

President Macron'sdecision to defendcartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammadhas led to protests across the world even as Turkey President Erdogan said Macron needed "mental checks."

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan accused Macron of "attacking Islam". He tweeted that the French leader "could have put healing touch & denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarisation & marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalisation."

Macron had described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide and said the government would present a bill in December to strengthen a 1905 law that officially separated church and state in France.