PM Imran writes to Facebook for banning Islamophobic content

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday wrote to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, asking for the firm to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam that has been put in place for the Holocaust.

The letter has been sent amid an anti-Islam campaign launched by France as state as its President Emanuel Macron earlier today issued hurting statements against Islamic religion and and the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH. 

Here is the transcript of PM Imran’s letter;

“I am writing to draw your attention to the growing Islamophobia that is encouraging hate, extremism and violence across the world and especially through the use of social media platforms including Facebook. I appreciate your taking the step to rightly ban any posting that criticizes or questions the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom of the Jews in Germany and across Europe as Nazis spread across Europe.

However, today we are seeing a similar pogrom against Muslims in different parts of the world. Unfortunately, in some states, Muslims are being denied their citizenship rights and their democratic personal choices from dress to worship. In India, anti-Muslim laws and measures such as CAA and NRC as well as targeted killings of Muslims and blaming Muslims for Corona virus are reflective of the abominable phenomenon of Islamophobia. 

In France, Islam has been associated with terrorism and publication of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam and our Holy Prophet (PBUH) has been allowed. This will lead to further polarization and marginalization of Muslims in France. How will the French distinguish between radical extremist Muslim citizens and the mainstream Muslim citizenry of Islam? We have seen how marginalization inevitably leads to extremism – something the world does not need.

Given the rampant abuse and vilification of Muslims on social media platforms, I would ask you to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam for Facebook that you have put in place for the Holocaust. The message of hate must be banned in total – one cannot send a message that while hate messages against some are unacceptable, these are acceptable against others. Nor should the world have to wait for a pogrom against Muslims, which is ongoing in countries like India and in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to be completed before Islamophobia is banned. This in itself is reflective of prejudice and bias that will encourage further radicalization.”

Earlier today, the prime denounced the statements of French president. He said that hallmark of a leader is he unites human beings, as Nelson Mandela did, rather than dividing them.

In a series of tweets, he said this is a time when President Macron could have put healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarisation and marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalization.

The French president is being criticised with protests breaking out in several cities across the world after Macron accused Muslims of separatism and vowed not to give up cartoons depicting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

His comments came in response to the beheading of a teacher, Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old teacher, who was attacked on his way home from the junior high school where he taught in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, 40 kilometres northwest of Paris.

The teacher had shown cartoons disrespecting Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), according to media reports. 

France has recently stepped up measures in the country which its Muslim community views as anti-Islam. The French government has said it fears militancy is taking over some Muslim communities in the country.

Soon after Macron's comments, people starting campaigns to boycott French goods and protest globally.

Earlier Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lambasting the French president asked him to take mental treatment as he sounds unfit.