Pakistan fires back at Indian FM barbs over minority rights

• FO calls India a ‘serial violator’ of minority rights
• Fatemi raises Kashmir issue with UN chief

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Saturday called on India to focus on improving the treatment of its own minorities rather than expressing concern over minority rights in Pakistan.

“India is in no position to champion minority rights, as it remains a serial violator of those very rights,” said the FO in a statement issued in response to remarks made by India’s Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar in the Lok Sabha regarding the state of minorities in Pakistan.

Mr Jaishankar had alleged that minorities in Pakistan faced persecution, including incidents of intimidation, forced conversions, and violence.

Rejecting Mr Jaishankar’s assertions, the FO said, “Rather than feigning concern for minorities elsewhere, the Indian government 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.”

The statement emphasised Paki­stan remains committed to protecting the rights of its minority communities. “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.”

The FO pointed to several instances of religious and ethnic persecution in India, highlighting what it called “egregious and systemic violations of minority rights”.

Pakistan cited India’s discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act, the bulldozing of homes of minority communities, and large-scale violence against Muslims, including the 2002 Gujarat massacre and the 2020 Delhi pogrom. Also, the FO referenced the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 and the ‘consecration of a temple’ on its ruins in 2024 as emblematic of state-supported religious discrimination.

The statement also condemned cow vigilantism, mob lynchings, and attacks on mosques and other religious sites. The FO reiterated its call for India to take meaningful measures to ensure the protection and security of its minorities instead of using their plight as a political tool to target Pakistan.

Kashmir issue

Earlier, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi held a meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during which he underscored the need to resolve the conflicts in Kashmir and Palestine, APP adds.

Mr Fatemi highlighted India’s continuing occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and the denial of self-determination right to the Kashmiri people. He said the Indian actions were in total disregard to international law and called for a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UNSC resolutions.

The special assistant briefed the UN secretary-general about Pakis­tan’s priorities during its Security Council term as a non-permanent member and reaffirmed his country’s strong support for the UN central role in addressing global challenges, including peace and security, development and climate change, according to a press release of the Pakistani mission to the UN. He underscored Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to adherence to the principles of the UN Charter, including UN peacekeeping efforts.

Mr Fatemi expressed the hope that the Pact for the Future, which the world leaders adopted in September last, would be fully implemented, meeting the financing needs of the developing countries to implement the Sustainable Development Goals and climate targets.

Palestine issue

He also urged the world community to call upon Israel to end its brutal campaign of violence and terror against the hapless Palestinians and stressed the need for strongly opposing proposals for the expulsion of the Palestinians from their homeland.

He also drew the UN chief’s attention to the cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan and called for UN support in countering the menace.

Secretary-General Guterres than­ked the special assistant for Pakistan’s active engagement at the UN and its role in maintaining international peace and security through its contribution towards UN Peacekeeping — the world body’s flagship activity. Pakistan is among the top troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations at hotspots around the world.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2025