Pakistan's United Nation Ambassador Munir Akram, in his capacity as chairman of the Islamic Group at the UN, on Wednesday circulated a plan of action proposing steps for implementing the decisions of last month's Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) in Islamabad.
Akram submitted the plan after briefing the 57-member group, which met at an ambassadorial level, on the decisions taken by the 34th ICFM, saying: "We will reflect in detail on this paper at some later date."
He told them that the Islamabad conference discussed all issues of vital interest to the Ummah and reaffirmed the resolve to combat terrorism while emphasising the need to address its root causes. The ambassador said the Islamabad Declaration reaffirmed its solidarity and support for the peoples of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkish Cyprus, Iraq, Jammu and Kashmir, Lebanon, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan and Syria.
The conference also took serious note of the increasing trend of Islamophobia, and stressed the need for addressing misperceptions about Islam, he added. The conference also stressed the need for taking action and addressing socio-economic disparities, internal religious upheavals and resolving political disputes facing the Islamic Ummah, including Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kashmir.
The ICFM adopted a number of resolutions in the political, economic, social cultural and information fields and was unanimous in its view for accelerating the process of reform within OIC.
The Islamabad Declaration, Akram said, supported the establishment of an International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, condemned Islamphobia and systematic discrimination against adherents of Islam calling upon the international community to prevent incitement to hatred and discrimination against Muslims.