Federal Minister for Interior, Brig (R) Ijaz Ahmad Shah met with the Ambassador of Italy, H.E. Mr. Andreas Ferrarese at the Ministry of Interior. Bilateral ties and areas of mutual interest were brought under discussion during the meeting. The Ambassador also spoke about cultural promotion and areas related to language understanding at both ends.
The Federal Minister for Interior, Brig (R) Ijaz Ahmad Shah brought the topic of Islamophobia under discussion and asked the Ambassador about his views. To which the Ambassador responded that they have told their people to be careful regarding this matter. He also said that Pakistani community has grown stronger in Italy over time and the relations between the two sides have been very stable.
Elaborating on his views regarding the statement of French President, the Federal Minister said that the words of French president had hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the globe. He said that the increasing concept of Islamophobia is alarming. "Tolerance and coexisting are very important in current context" he added. Interior Minister said that the Honor of Prophet (PBUH) must be protected by all means. Hateful comments and discriminatory approach will create unrest. He added. While discussing regional peace, the Federal Minister said that solution of Kashmir problem is mandatory for achieving peace in Asia.
The Ambassador appreciated the cooperation from all ends and said that we hope the relationship between the two countries will strengthen over time. Federal Minister for Interior, Brig (R) Ijaz Ahmad Shah said that the Government of Pakistan, specifically the Ministry of Interior will provide all possible support to further improve the bilateral ties and mutual cooperation.
