India Rejects Pakistan’s Criticism on Minority Rights, Cites Islamabad’s Own 'Horrific' Record

New Delhi: India on Monday (December 29) sharply rejected Pakistan’s criticism over incidents targeting minority communities, saying Islamabad had no standing to comment given its own record of treatment of minorities.

The rebuttal came after Pakistan's foreign office condemned alleged incidents of vandalism during Christmas in India and raised concerns about violence against Muslims, urging international bodies to intervene.

"We reject the reported remarks from a country whose abysmal record on this front speaks for itself," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. "Pakistan's horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities of various faiths is a well established fact. No amount of finger pointing will obfuscate it."

Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi had earlier cited what he described as vandalism of religious symbols and decorations during the Christmas period, along with "state-sponsored actions" against Muslim communities in India. He referenced cases of harassment, home demolitions, and lynchings, claiming these incidents had deepened fear among Indian Muslims.

"The persecution of minorities in India is a matter of deep concern," Andrabi said in an official statement, calling on the international community to take note and protect fundamental rights of vulnerable communities.

The Pakistani statement specifically mentioned the case of Muhammad Akhlaq and argued that such incidents raised questions about accountability. 

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