Pakistan urges int’l community to play its role to stop ‘rising Islamophobia in India’

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday has issued a statement on the vandalization of mosques and attacks against prayer places of Muslims in India.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the restrictions imposed by BJP’s Haryana government on offering Friday prayers by Muslims at several places in the state,” the foreign office said in a statement.

The statement also denounced ‘another abhorrent act of sacrilege of Muslim religious places’ where radical Hindu groups reportedly dumped cow dung at several places of Friday prayers.

“The senseless attacks against Muslims and their places of worship, houses and businesses are continuing in Tripura as well despite international concern. The BJP ruled states have arrested hundreds of individuals including well-known advocates and journalists under draconian laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for raising voice against gross and systematic human rights violations of minorities particularly Muslims,” said Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, spokesman of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.

The statement also criticized India for violent attacks against Muslims’ shops, mosques and shrines by radical activists of BJP and its affiliated groups including Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena in the state of Maharashtra.

Islamabad also urged the international community, particularly the United Nations and relevant international human rights and humanitarian organizations to play their role in stopping the rising Islamophobia and violent attacks against minorities particularly Muslims in India and ensure their safety, security and well-being and the protection of their places of worship.