OIC adopts resolution against anti-Islam film, cartoons

UNITED NATIONS: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has adopted a resolution condemning the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” and also the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) published in a French magazine, Geo News reported Saturday.

The foreign ministers attending the OIC strongly condemned the film ridiculing Islam.

Pakistan on Friday introduced a resolution against the anti-Islam film posted on the internet and the blasphemous caricatures published in a French magazine at a meeting of OIC.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, who is leading Pakistan's delegation, tabled the resolution in the OIC foreign ministers meeting held here on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly. She welcomed the adoption of the declaration by all OIC foreign ministers and conveyed the deeply hurt feelings of people of Pakistan on those blasphemous acts.

According to a press release issued by Pakistan’s Mission to the UN, the declaration was adopted at the Annual Coordination Meeting of the OIC Foreign Ministers in NY on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The declaration called the two acts as “sheer acts of incitement to hatred, discrimination and hostility towards Muslims, their peaceful religion Islam and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).”

The press release said that the OIC FMs expressed their concern on the continuing instances of Islamophobic acts under the “prextext of freedom of expression.” The FMs said that this stood in violation of freedom of religion guaranteed by international human rights norms and standards, and that these acts have deeply offended Muslims around the world.

The resolution apart from calling for a complete ban on the film also demanded international legislation against such sacrilegious acts.