Pakistan has strongly criticized the recent comments of India about the violations of minority rights, stating that a country that constantly violates the rights of its own minorities is not in a position to defend these rights on the global scenario.
In response to the comments made by the Ministry of External Affairs of India in the Lok Sabha about the situation of minorities in Pakistan, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Shafqat Ali Khan, declared that the history of the violations of the rights of minorities over India disqualifies him for criticizing other nations, said Express News.
“India has no position to act as a defender of minority rights, given their own serial violations,” Khan said. He added that while Pakistan’s state institutions are actively working to protect minorities’ rights, incidents aimed at minorities in India often occur with tacit approval or complicity of the ruling factions.
The spokesman also urged India to focus on addressing her own deficiencies instead of pointing to other countries. “Instead of expressing concern for minorities abroad, India must take concrete measures to protect their own minorities, including Muslims and other vulnerable groups, and guarantee the security of their places of worship, cultural heritage and fundamental rights,” reads the statement.
In addition to responding to the comments of India, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed its condolence for the devastating earthquake that hit Myanmar, Thailand and neighboring regions, claiming the lives of more than 1,000 people.
“Our hearts are with all those affected by this tragedy,” said the spokesman. “We want a rapid recovery to the injured and congratulate the efforts of brave people and emergency responders involved in rescue and relief operations.”
