Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday emphasised that religion has no link to

terrorism and that it is "marginalisation of communities [that] leads to

radicalisation".

Pakistan and Turkey co-hosted a round table discussion on hate speech, a side event
in the margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New
York.

The prime minister along with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressed the
conference, which also featured a Key Note address by High Representative for the
United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) Miguel �ngel Moratinos.

Pakistan and Turkey co-hosting a round table discussion on hate speech in the
margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, on
Wednesday. � PTI
In his remarks, the premier noted the growing amount of "discrimination and
violence based on religion and belief", a statement by the Prime Minister's Office
said.

To this end, he called upon the need for addressing "both the drivers and
consequences of these phenomena".

PM Imran also cautioned against the denigration of revered personalities under the
guise of "freedom of expression and opinion".

"The world must understand Muslim sensitivities for Islam and the reverence for
Prophet Muhammad PBUH," he said.

He underscored the need for effective measures to be put in place so that hate
speech, especially that which stems from Islamophobia, can be countered.

"Marginalisation of any community leads to radicalisation," the PMO statement

quoted the premier as saying.

The prime minister, during his address, said that "desperate human beings"
throughout history have committed what are known as suicide attacks. "Before 9/11,
75 per cent of suicide attacks were by Tamil Tigers who were Hindus. No one talked
about Hinduism having anything to do with suicide attacks."

He said when Japanese suicide bombers attacked American ships during World War II,
no one blamed their religion.

"Because religion has nothing to do with [...] no religion has anything to do with
terrorism," he stressed.

"Almost all terrorism is connected to politics. It is politically perceived

injustices that produce desperate people.

"But now we keep hearing about radical Islam. There is only one Islam. The Islam of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which we follow. There is no other Islam."

He said that in communities, a majority of individuals are moderates with liberals

on one end of the spectrum and fanatics on the other end and it was the same case
in societies everywhere.

"What about the white supremacist that killed 49 worshippers in New Zealand? What
has that got to do with religion?" he went on to say, appealing to the better sense
of all those listening.
The premier urged the need to recognise that a greater understanding and tolerance
between various communties across the globe needs to be promoted. "We Muslim
leaders have not explained to the Western societies how painful it is when our
Prophet is maligned, mocked, ridiculed."

"Why does it cause so much pain? Because the Prophet lives in our hearts. And we
all know that the pain of the heart is far, far, far greater than physical pain,"
he explained.

He said that the UN, as a platform, provides the right space "to evolve an informed
discourse on countering hate speech".

President Erdogan said that hate speech "emerges before worst crimes against
humanity" and observed that Muslims remain the most vulnerable community to hate
speech in the world.

He cited incidents in India where Muslims had been "lynched for eating beef".

"Kashmir has been turned into an open prison. We fear blood shed there," the
Turkish president further remarked.

According to a handout by the UNAOC, the high-level roundtable "is aimed at

identifying measures and approaches required to effectively address and mitigate
the impacts of hate speech on societies across the world, with a view to fostering
tolerance and inclusivity".