Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Masood Khan has said mutual respect and understanding for each other could ensure effective and durable decisions at the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). Addressing a meeting of UNCHR on behalf of OIC countries, Khan said respect of all religions and cultures was critical, according to an official statement released in Islamabad. He said religious and cultural diversity should be a vehicle for promoting cohesion and not divisions. Khan expressed serious concern on increasing politicization of the UNCHR, particularly the practice of resolutions targeting developing countries including OIC member states. Pakistan is currently Coordinator of OIC on human rights and humanitarian issues. Khan said Islamic countries are perturbed at the increasing trend in last few years of defamatory statements against Islam and Muslims at human rights fora and added that it has been diverting the attention of the world community to genuine human rights issues. The diplomat said OIC countries should deal the work of the UNCHR in a responsible and non-partisan manner and make every effort to ensure adoption of its decisions and resolutions unanimously. Khan said strict self-discipline on the part of all participants, member states, observers and NGOs is necessary to improve the efficiency of the organization.
