Pakistan urges UN to promote harmony among Cultures
'Pakistan Times' UN Bureau

UNITED NATIONS: Lambasting the anti-Islam Dutch film, Pakistan has called for UN Departmnt of Public Information to redouble its efforts to sensitize the news media and the member states on the need to understand and respect various cultures and beliefs.

“The United Nations can play a vital role in bridging the gulf between various beliefs and cultures,” Shafqat Jalil, the Pakistani delegate, told the UN Committee on Information on Tuesday.

Speaking in a debate on the issues related to information, he welcomed the condemnation by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the airing of parliamentarian Geert Wilder’s offensive film.

He also expressed his appreciation for the opposition voiced by the Government of the Netherlands and many Member States.

Jalil said the film had not only hurt the feelings of Muslims; it had also threatened the stability of many societies and, as such, had violated the United Nations Charter, as well as the laws of the countries where those sacrilegious acts had been carried out.

He also told the committee that Pakistan’s new democratically-elected Government was committed to upholding the country’s Constitution, which clearly stipulated the right to freedom of expression and speech as a fundamental right of all citizens.

Freedom of expression was a universal right that must be promoted and protected, the Pakistan delegate said.

“It must also always be accompanied by social responsibility.”●