GENEVA (AFP) - The Organisation of Islamic Conference urged Swiss authorities Thursday to annul a vote banning the construction of minarets, saying it could fuel similar moves across Europe. Envoys from the 56-nation member states made the demand to the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Dante Martinelli, the domestic ATS news agency said, quoting Pakistani ambassador Zamir Akram. There is a danger that this will lead to similar bans on minarets in other European countries where other symbols of the Muslim faith are spread out, the Pakistani envoy said. The Swiss voted on November 29 on a proposal brought by the far-right to ban the construction of minarets. A total of 57.5 percent voted in favour of the proposal. Besides the government, the ban was opposed by the bulk of Switzerlands political parties as well as the economic establishment. It drew widespread criticism from the United Nations, Muslim states, fellow European countries and the Vatican. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called the ban a deeply discriminatory, deeply divisive and a thoroughly unfortunate step for Switzerland to take. I have no hesitation at all in condemning the anti-foreigner scaremongering that has characterised political campaigns in a number of countries, including Switzerland, which helps produce results like this, she added.