Growing Islamophobia can be acutely consequential: Maleeha
NEW YORK (92 News) – Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi has said that the deadly terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand was another grim reminder of the Islamophobia sweeping the world.
Addressing delegates attending the UN Commission on Status of Women, she linked the attack to stereotyping, which she argued can be seriously consequential as it can lead to misperceptions, demonization and even violence.
The Pakistani envoy said it is a slippery slope when Muslims are stereotyped and mischaracterized, sometimes deliberately by those who engage in hate speech.
It is pertinent to mention here that the death toll in Friday’s terror attack has jumped to 50 and it was the worst ever peacetime mass killing in New Zealand and the country had raised its security threat level to the highest.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with murder on Saturday. Tarrant was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges.
Nine Pakistanis martyred in New Zealand terror attack: FO
Earlier today, the New Zealand authorities have confirmed the martyrdom of nine Pakistanis in the New Zealand terror attack.
The martyred Pakistanis include: Sohail Shahid, Syed Jahandad Ali, Syed Areeb Ahmed, Mahboob Haroon, Naeem Rashid with his son Talha Naeem, Zeeshan Raza with his father Gulam Husain and his mother Karam Bibi.
“Mr Zeeshan Raza, his father Mr Ghulam Hussain and mother Ms Karam bibi have now been confirmed to have embraced shahadat in the terrroist attack in #NewZealand. We are in touch with their family. A total of 9 Pakistanis embraced shahadat in #NewZealandTerrorAttack,” Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal.
NZ PM expresses solidarity with Muslims
New Zealand Prime Minister (PM) Jacinda Ardern visited Wellington’s Kilbirnie Mosque to express solidarity with the Muslims who were martyred in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch mosques.
She met with the community and laid a wreath at the Mosque in memory of the victims of the Christchurch attack.
Pakistani flag to fly at half-mast on Monday to mourn NZ terror attack
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistani flag will remain half-mast at all national buildings on Monday to mourn the deaths of Pakistanis who were martyred, among others, in the terrorist attacks on mosques in New Zealand (NZ).
