UNITED NATIONS, Nov 3: Pakistan on Thursday called for a pro-active role for the newly created United Nations Human Rights Council while addressing situations of armed conflict and foreign occupation.

“We support empowering the Council to dispatch fact-finding missions to scrutinize situations of armed conflict and foreign occupation,” said Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram while addressing the United Nations General Assembly’s third committee which deals with social and humanitarian affairs.

Mr Akram observed “unfortunately, the current human rights machinery has not yet been able to fully establish its non-partisan credentials. Selectivity and politically motivated actions remain its Achilles heel.”

Saying that “there was an apparent absence of sensitivity to cultural diversity and respect for religious belief especially with regard to a recent crass incident of Islamophobia”, Mr Akram lamented “the complete silence by all mandate holders on the most recent attacks against Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the most revered personality for 1.3 billion Muslims and many others, by media and prominent personalities was a glaring omission.”

“The act not only seriously offended Muslims but also had the potential to negatively affect communal harmony. It cannot just be ignored and brushed aside. It appears that in the current onslaught against Islam and all that is sacred to our faith, the UN special mechanisms lose the urge and ability to speak out,” he added.

“We are committed to ensure the implementation of the highest standards in accordance with tenets of our religion, and our proud humane tradition and centuries old cultural values of tolerance, assimilation and social responsibility,” he said.