Islamabad (Web Desk): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday wrote to Facebook Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Zuckerberg urging him to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam similar to that in place for the Holocaust.
According to the text of the letter shared by PM Office media wing, the premier drew Facebook CEO’s attention to the growing Islamophobia that is encouraging hate, extremism and violence across the world and especially through the use of social media platforms including Facebook.
The prime minister said the message of hate must be banned in total. "One cannot send a message that while hate messages against some are unacceptable, these are acceptable against others. Nor should the world have to wait for a pogrom against Muslims, which is ongoing in countries like India and in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to be completed before Islamophobia is banned.This in itself is reflective of prejudice and bias that will encourage further radicalization," he added.
PM Khan while referring to Mark Zuckerberg’s step of banning any posts that criticized or questioned the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom of the Jews in Germany and across Europe as Nazis spread across Europe, said that today they were seeing a similar pogrom against Muslims in different parts of the world.
“Unfortunately, in some states, Muslims are being denied their citizenship rights and their democratic personal choices from dress to worship. In India, anti-Muslim laws and measures such as CAA and NRC as well as targeted killings of Muslims and blaming Muslims for coronavirus are reflective of the abominable phenomenon of Islamophobia,” PM Imran said.
In France, the prime minister said, Islam has been associated with terrorism and publication of blasphemous caricatures targeting Islam and the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) had been allowed.
“This will lead to further polarization and marginalization of Muslims in France. How will the French distinguish between radical extremist Muslim citizens and the mainstream Muslim citizenry of Islam? we have seen how marginalization inevitably leads to extremism – something the world does not need,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said.
Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a series of tweets, slammed French President Emmanuel Macron, saying statements based on ignorance will create more hate, Islamophobia and space for extremists.