Mutahir Rizvi presents PEG Shield to Chief Guest Rizwan Saeed Shaiikh. Also seen in the picture are Dr. Mohammed Zubair, member PEG executive committee, Aftab Khokher Consul General Pakistan, Zafar Talpur, Members ExCom PEG, Azizullah Shariff, secretary general PEG, Khalid Ali Kahn, member ExCom PEG. — Courtesy photo JEDDAH — An international law, represented by Article 20 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), clearly states that denigration of symbols or persons sacred to any religion is a criminal offense, according to Rizwan Saeed Shaikh, head of department of cultural affairs at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Shaikh was addressing the members of Pakistan Executive Group (PEG) as a guest speaker at Marhaba restaurant recently. The OIC is putting its efforts to get this law enforced globally through the UN Human Rights Council resolution number 16/18, which is an outcome of the Istanbul Process. Though we live in a so called global village, the religion still remains at the forefront in international relations and Islamophobia is a manifestation of religion being exploited for political reasons. Islamophobia is a political and social concern for OIC, an organization that stands next to the United Nations in terms of its members states. It tries to develop international consensus and constructive engagement to avoid any confrontation. The Cairo summit applauded the role of OIC Observatory confronting Islamophobia and urged the Secretary General to activate it. Shaikh made it clear that the OIC is not a religious organization; religion is only a cementing and unifying force behind an institution that is essentially political. Pakistan Consul General Aftab Khokher was the guest of honor. Other attendees from the consulate were Abu Akif, director general Haj, and Imran Siddiqui, deputy consul general. The meeting was conducted by Shariff, secretary general of PEG. Syed Mutahir Rizvi, president, presented the PEG shield to Shaikh. — SG
