ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday held telephone conversation with his Canadian counterpart Marc Garneau to discuss the recent tragic incident of Islamophobia in London, Ontario, and bilateral ties.
Qureshi stated that the Islamophobic attack was a matter of serious concern and had caused anguish among the Muslims worldwide.
He appreciated the fact that the Canadian Government, civil society, media and general public had extended support to the family of the victims in this hour of grief. He expressed hope that the perpetrator of the crime would be brought to justice.
He briefed the Canadian foreign minister on the efforts undertaken by Pakistan to raise awareness and to curtail the growing Islamophobic tendencies.
He underscored that the international community must show a common resolve against the rising trend of Islamophobia and promote peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony.
The two foreign ministers agreed to work together on countering Islamophobia through coordinated efforts at the various international fora. They further agreed to remain in close contact.
On Sunday, a driver crashed a pickup truck into a Pakistani origin family of five, killing four of them while injuring the 9-year-old in a planned attack as the victims were Muslims.
The 20-year-old attacker, apprehended shortly after the attack, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, while several leaders of the Muslim community have called on the courts to classify the episode as an act of terrorism.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday denounced the killing of four members of a Muslim family in Canada’s Ontario and labeled it as a ‘terrorist attack’.
Pakistan-origin family of 4 killed in planned Islamophobic attack in Canada
