India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday firmly rejected Pakistan’s allegations of mistreatment of religious minorities, asserting that Islamabad has no standing to lecture others given its own “horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities of various faiths.”
Responding to media queries on the comments made by Pakistan, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We reject the reported remarks from a country whose abysmal record on this front speaks for itself.” He added that it is a well-established fact that minorities belonging to different faiths are routinely and brutally persecuted in Pakistan.
“Pointing fingers will not make these realities disappear,” Jaiswal stated, underlining that Pakistan’s repeated attempts to deflect attention from its own record have failed to convince the international community.
India’s response came after Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs, alleged that religious minorities in India were being targeted. He cited incidents such as alleged vandalism during Christmas celebrations and attacks on Muslims, calling on the world to take notice.
According to a report by Pakistani television channel ARY News, Andrabi also referred to the 2015 Dadri incident involving the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq, alleging that India protects perpetrators involved in lynching cases.
India has consistently rejected such narratives, describing them as selective, misleading, and politically motivated. The MEA reiterated that Pakistan’s repeated references to isolated incidents in India are part of a broader attempt to distract from its own internal challenges.
Last month as well, Pakistan criticised the hoisting of the holy flag atop the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Responding at the time, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan had “no moral right” to comment, given its “deeply stained record of bigotry, repression, and systemic mistreatment of minorities.”
“We have seen the alleged comments and treat them with the disdain they deserve,” Jaiswal said, adding that Pakistan’s long history of prejudice and repression severely undermines its credibility on Human Rights issues.
Pakistan has also repeatedly cited the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, portraying it as an example of “Islamophobia” and “heritage desecration.” Islamabad further accused India’s government and judiciary of enabling the construction of the Ram Mandir, calling it evidence of what it described as a discriminatory approach toward minorities.
India, however, countered these accusations by urging Pakistan to reflect on its own domestic situation instead of issuing what New Delhi called hypocritical sermons.
“Rather than delivering hypocritical homilies, Pakistan would do better to turn its gaze inwards and focus on its own abysmal human rights record,” Jaiswal remarked.
| Pakistan’s Allegations | India’s Response |
|---|---|
| Claims of attacks on religious minorities in India | India rejects the claims, calling them selective and misleading |
| References to Christmas-related vandalism and lynching cases | India says isolated incidents are being politicised |
| Criticism of Ram Mandir construction | India says Pakistan has no moral authority due to its own record |
| Allegations of state-backed discrimination | India urges Pakistan to address its own systemic minority persecution |
The exchange highlights the continued diplomatic friction between the two neighbours, with India maintaining that Pakistan’s accusations are an attempt to divert attention from its own well-documented human rights concerns.
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