Indian record marred by systematic violations of minority rights: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday slammed India for accusing it of minority mistreatment and accused New Delhi of being a “serial violator” of minority rights and reminded it of its own record which is “marred by egregious and systematic violations.”

The Foreign Office was forced to respond to India after the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar made some unusually harsh statements in Lok Sabha and the related discussion on the situation of minorities in Pakistan.

“India is in no position to champion minority rights, as it remains a serial violator of those very rights. In Pakistan, state institutions actively work to safeguard minorities as a matter of policy. In stark contrast, incidents targeting minorities in India frequently occur with the tacit approval — or even complicity — of elements within the ruling dispensation,” said the Foreign Office.

In fact, last week even the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) highlighted how throughout 2024 individuals in India have been killed, beaten, lynched by vigilante groups and how the people have been arbitrarily arrested and homes and places of worship have been demolished.

The Indian minister pointed to Pakistan and told Lok Sabha, “India as a government and a country cannot change the mindset of a neighbour who has a fanatical, bigoted mindset. Even Indira Gandhi could not do it. Government of Pakistan does not take action to protect its minorities and this is the position on which we have been very public and clear.”

Responding to the Indian rhetoric, the Foreign Office said that the systematic promotion of hatred, discrimination, and violence against minorities in India is well-documented.

“From the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to the bulldozing of homes; from the 2002 Gujarat massacre to the 2020 Delhi pogrom; from the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 to the consecration of a temple on its ruins in 2024; from cow vigilantism and mob lynching to attacks on mosques and shrines — India’s record is marred by egregious and systemic violations of minority rights, particularly those of the Muslims.”

Rather than feigning concern for minorities elsewhere, Pakistan told the Indian government that it would do well to address its own failures. “It must take concrete steps to ensure the safety, protection, and well-being of minorities — including Muslims — and safeguard their places of worship, cultural heritage, and fundamental rights,” added the statement.