ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has slammed French President Emmnanel Macron over his remarks on Islamophobia, saying the latter was "creating further polarisation and marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalisation".
Khan was referring to Macron's statement on October 21 that "France will not give up cartoons", which he made while paying tribute to Samuel Paty, the teacher who was beheaded this month for showing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in class.
In a series of tweets on Sunday, the Pakistani premier said: "Hallmark of a leader is he unites human beings, as (Nelson) Mandela did, rather than dividing them. This is a time when President Macron could have put healing touch and denied space to extremists rather than creating further polarisation and marginalisation that inevitably leads to radicalisation.
"It is unfortunate that he has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by attacking Islam rather than the terrorists who carry out violence, be it Muslims, White Supremacists or Nazi ideologists.
"Sadly, President Macron has chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims, including his own citizens, through encouraging the display of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam and our Prophet. (IANS)