ISLAMABAD: The issue of interfaith harmony applies to all countries. We can always do more, which means that we need to try to bring together religious leaders, encourage dialogue among youth and uphold universal values of peace.

This was highlighted by Sweden’s special envoy to the Organisation of Islamabad Cooperation (OIC) Ulrika Sundberg, who also served as ambassador to Pakistan from 2009-12. She was in Islamabad as an observer to OIC and to suggest ideas to combat racism and other forms of intolerance and discrimination.

“Sweden has welcomed Muslim immigrants, Turks, Iraqis, Iranians, Somalis, Afghans, Syrians, who now make up 10 percent of the population. It is imperative to help the Muslim community in Sweden to be more organised for social inclusiveness,” she said.

Talking toDawn, she said that a priority concern at the OIC was the situation in Afghanistan and to find ways to avoid a humanitarian crisis there.

“Another major concern was what can we do to combat Islamophobia together, a concern that we all share and it is a question of how? Prime Minister Imran Khan made an important point that the responsibility to fight Islamophobia also rested with the member states of OIC. They have to explain to us what the concerns are.

“Islamophobia is something systemic which we take exception to and if we are wrong then it is a question of education,” she said, adding the OIC was a big success.

“Pakistanis doing the negotiations were smart, accommodating as far as possible the concerns. One of these concerns which keeps coming back and has been with us for the longest time, is what freedom of religion and belief mean?” she said.

Ms Sundberg met federal ministers and government officials during her visit. In her meeting with the minister for religious and interfaith harmony, she was told that the legislation on forced conversion was already tabled and she hoped it would be adopted soon. “Christians, Ahmadis and Hindus face problems but it is pleasing to see Sikhs getting attention, and the government is coming around to it,” she added.

The envoy expressed interest in learning more about the implementation of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

As rights of women is also a priority area, she hoped that women in Pakistan had access to finance, felt secure to take public transportation and at the work place, and had access to services in terms of child care.

Present in Pakistan after more than a decade, Ms Sundberg said she was struck by the difference. “There used to be a constellation of police pickets all over the place and security concerns were overriding,” she said.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022