In a pointed diplomatic retort, India’s Foreign Ministry has told Pakistan to clean up its own house before commenting on minority issues in India. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made this clear during Friday’s press briefing, responding to fresh allegations from Islamabad about demolitions in New Delhi.
Pakistan’s FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi accused India of targeting Muslim heritage sites following MCD’s removal of illegal structures near Faiz-e-Ilahi Masjid in Turkman Gate. Jaiswal countered that Pakistan’s minorities endure far worse, with well-documented horrors that shame the nation.
The court-ordered drive targeted unauthorized constructions, not religious sites, affirming India’s judicial independence. This episode echoes prior clashes, including last month’s MEA dismissal of Pakistan’s claims on minority violence, where India highlighted Islamabad’s appalling history of religious oppression.
Pakistan’s record is indefensible. Drawing from the Center for Social Justice in Lahore, a recent International Center for Peace Studies report documented 344 blasphemy prosecutions in 2024. Shockingly, 421 cases of forced conversions involved minority girls—predominantly Hindu and Christian, many minors—over three years.
Such patterns reveal Pakistan’s reliance on religious extremism and India-bashing for domestic politics, marginalizing Hindus as second-class citizens. Jaiswal’s words cut deep: ‘Look at your own record before commenting on others.’ This exchange underscores enduring India-Pakistan frictions, where rhetoric often masks internal failures. India, meanwhile, presses forward with equitable governance and legal accountability.
