The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized Pakistan for baseless accusations of erasing Muslim heritage in India. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that Pakistan should address the situation of minorities within its own borders before commenting on others. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi’s comments followed a demolition near Faiz-e-Elahi Mosque in Delhi to clear illegal encroachments, as directed by the Delhi High Court.
India had previously rejected Pakistan’s claims on violence against minorities, citing Pakistan’s history of persecuting religious minorities. The MEA issued a statement dismissing Pakistan’s remarks, highlighting Pakistan’s systemic victimization of minorities. India also rebuked Pakistan over statements regarding the flag hoisting at Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, asserting that Pakistan lacks moral standing to lecture others due to its record of repression and mistreatment of minorities.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged Pakistan to focus on its own human rights record rather than making baseless allegations. A report by the ‘International Centre for Peace Studies’ in New Delhi highlighted the persecution of minorities in Pakistan, including the framing of Hindus as the “other” and the forced conversion of minority women and girls. The report underscored the contradictions in Pakistan’s national identity and its treatment of minorities.
