Headline News 01/10/2018

Headlines

• OIC Calls for End to Hate Campaigns against Islam

• Turkey's Erdogan Opens Germany's Largest Mosque Amid Security Lockdown

• Pakistan Civil Servant Caught on CCTV Stealing Wallet from Visiting Foreign Delegation

Details

OIC Calls for End to Hate Campaigns against Islam

The foreign ministers of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries adopted a strongly worded statement — sponsored by Pakistan and Turkey — denouncing the increasing attacks on Islam, its revered personalities and symbols, and called for an immediate end to such campaigns. The ministers met on Friday on the margins of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly being held in New York.

Speaking at the meeting, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed deep concern over the misrepresentation of Islam as well as at the activities that have hurt the feelings of Muslims all over the world, especially the disrespect shown to the most revered personality of Islam. In the statement, which was approved by the ministerial meeting, serious concern was expressed on the intensification of hate campaigns which were deliberately targeting Muslims and the Islamic religious symbols. The joint statement rejected provocative acts like the holding of the caricature contest to ridicule Islam, "which was clearly aimed at inciting violence".

Ever since the competition was announced, Pakistan raised the issue at the diplomatic level with the United Nations, OIC, and European Union and sensitised world leaders. Foreign Minister Qureshi wrote to the OIC Secretary-General, the UN Secretary-General, the Dutch foreign minister and foreign ministers of Islamic countries to jointly act against Islamophobic acts. Pakistan also requested the convening of an emergency session of the OIC Executive Committee to take stock of the situation arising from the acts denigrating Islam. Prime Minister Imran Khan on assuming office expressed serious concern regarding this issue during his very first cabinet meeting. The cabinet adopted a resolution condemning the campaign of ridiculing Islam. Later, both houses of the parliament also adopted resolutions, calling for halting such activities. PM Khan had assured the parliament that matter will be raised during the OIC Ministerial Meeting in New York. [Source: The Dawn]

No matter how hard the OIC tries to stop the vilification of Islam, the West will continue to denigrate Muslims. Empty statements not backed up by force will only embolden the West to be more aggressive in their attacks against Islam.

Turkey's Erdogan Opens Germany's Largest Mosque amid Security Lockdown

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan finished his three-day visit to Germany by opening the country's largest mosque in Cologne. Police snipers stationed on rooftops were part of a security lockdown to keep both supporters and protesters away from the opening ceremony. The area was cordoned off after the city authorities cancelled plans for up to 25,000 people to attend the opening of the Central Mosque. "We will continue to protect our citizens regardless of wherever they are," said Erdogan, "We will not allow a group of incompetent FETO (members of US-based cleric Fetullah Gulen's network) and PKK sympathisers to unsettle our citizens and damage Turkish-German friendship." The building of the mosque was funded by the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) an Islamic religious orgnaisation with close ties to Turkey. Around 1,000 protesters gathered on the opposite bank of the River Rhine after being denied permission to march through the city centre. Cologne is a pivotal centre for the more than 3 million Turks living in Germany. Both Cologne mayor Henriette Reker and the state's premier Armin Laschet declined to attend the mosque ceremony. President Erdogan had been invited to Germany in an attempt to repair ties with Berlin after two years of tensions following a failed coup attempt July 2016. Many of his critics have found refuge in Germany since attempting to overthrow his government.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting Erdogan on Friday that “deep divisions” remain between the two countries. Syria was reported amoung the main topics discussed between Merkel and Erdogan on his visit, due to both countries feeling major repercussions from the Syrian Civil War. Turkey is hosting more than 3.5 million refugees from the conflict, while Germany has brought in more Syrian refugees than any other European Union member. Turkey has seen its currency plummet after US trade sanctions were implemented from Washington.

These economic struggles have been front in centre in Ankara since Erdogan consolidated immense power into an executive presidency without the safeguards of checks and balances. Dr. Soner Cagaptay, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Euronews following Erdogan's reelection in June, that Erdogan now has de-facto control of the judicial and legislative branches, as well as being head of state, head of police, and head of the military. [Source: Euronews]

Germany’s Muslims do not need more masjids. They need a strong Turkey to put fear into the heart of the West and prevent them from disparaging Islam. For that Erdogan need to look at the Ottoman state and not Europe for inspiration on how to protect Muslims of Europe.

Pakistan Civil Servant Caught on CCTV Stealing Wallet from Visiting Foreign Delegation

A senior Pakistani civil servant sparked an embarrassing diplomatic incident when he was allegedly caught on CCTV stealing the wallet of a visiting Kuwaiti delegate. The Kuwaitis made a complaint to Pakistani officials during a mission to discuss investment plans when one visitor said his wallet had gone missing during the meeting. Officials searched the Economic Affairs Division of the finance ministry and frisked employees in the hunt for the wallet, Dawn, a leading Pakistani newspaper reported. It was only when CCTV in the meeting hall was checked that a senior bureaucrat with the Pakistan Administrative Services was seen taking the wallet. A six-second clip said to show the incident was widely shared on social media. The clip showed a man taking a wallet from a conference table and putting it in his pocket.

The official reportedly denied involvement until he was confronted with the video and then produced the missing wallet. Pakistani officials at first refused to tell their guests who the culprit was, until the furious Kuwaitis insisted and were shown the film. Sources in the ministry told the paper an internal inquiry was now underway against the bureaucrat and further action would be taken according to its conclusions. Pakistan's new prime minister, Imran Khan, has long pledged to clean up government and has for years railed against the graft and corruption among senior politicians and officials. When questioned about the incident, Fawad Chaudhry, information minister, told a press conference that most of the civil service had their “moral training” during the previous governments. [Source: The Telegraph]

Imran Khan made a huge hue and cry about eradicating government corruption and once again his government has been embroiled in another embarrassing scandal. Blaming corruption on the previous government is not only a poor excuse but demonstrates that his government is bankrupt of ideas.