OIC grOup at uN slams QuraN deseCratION IN swedeN

UNITED NATIONS

Staff report aMBASSADORIALmeeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) nations, convened by Pakistan, condemned the recent abhorrent act of desecration of the Quran in Sweden as well as in the Netherlands.

In a statement, the meeting said those vile acts were recent manifestations of Islamophobia.

Pakistan is the current chair of the Islamic

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Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM).

The meeting, which was presided over by Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram, also decided to organise a special meeting at the UN in New York to commemorate the Day to Combat Islamophobia in accordance with the landmark resolution adopted by the General Assembly last year.

“Through this event, the OIC countries would call for international solidarity and cooperation in combating and dismantling anti-Muslim rhetoric and practices including

FBR chairman appreciates Customs’ contribution to economic growth

racial profiling, discrimination, negative stereotyping and stigmatization of Muslims,” the Pakistani envoy said. As a follow-up of the resolution, he added: “the OIC will urge the UN SecretaryGeneral to formulate an action plan, in coordination with the OIC countries, to halt and reverse Islamophobia.”

The envoy also informed the OIC meeting that On International Women’s Day (8 March), Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will host and chair a

High-Level Conference in New York on Women in Islam.

The OIC nations greatly appreciated and reiterated their strong support to Pakistan towards the initiatives during this meeting, it was pointed out.

Among other agenda items, Wednesday’s meeting of the OIC endorsed Tajikistan’s candidature for election to the Security Council for the term 2028-2029.

Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the

United Nations, briefed the OIC meeting on the recent disturbing developments in Palestine, Jerusalem including the violations of the sanctity of the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Sharjeel says women-only bus service from Feb 1

KArACHI

Staff report

The Transport Department Sindh has taken an important initiative and decided to launch Pink People's Bus Service reserved for women. The new bus service is being launched keeping in view the commuting problems of working women particularly.

The decision to this effect has been taken in a meeting chaired by Information, Transport & Mass Transit Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon at his resident due to his health reasons.

Provincial Minister announced that Pink People's Bus Service will be launched from February 1, and added that Model Colony, Shahrah-e-Faisal, to

Tower route has been selected for the first route of Pink People's Bus Service. He said that Pink Bus service will operate every 20 minutes in morning and evening during office hours, while it will operate after every hour during normal hours.

The provincial minister said that after launch of orange, red and white bus service in Karachi, now pink bus service is being started for women only. He said that Pakistan People's Party is moving fast towards fulfilling its promises made with the people of Karachi. The meeting also reviewed the operations of People's Bus Service in Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad and the launch of remaining Routes including route No. 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Karachi.

The provincial minister directed that the opera-