ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has categorically rejected the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ unwarranted and gratuitous remarks on an incident involving the statue of Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore.

“It is highly hypocritical of a country that is purveyor of state-sponsored discrimination against its minorities to pontificate on the issue of minority rights elsewhere. A mature state would have appreciated the immediate arrest of the accused against whom strict legal action has already been initiated,” Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the government, legislature, judiciary, civil society and the media in Pakistan had always worked for ensuring constitutional protection for members of minorities as equal citizens and their places of worship, whereas in India incidents against minorities take place with state complicity.

“Rather than feigning concern for minorities elsewhere, India should seriously introspect, move away from entrenched anti-minority mindset being destructively spawned by the RSS-BJP regime, and discard state-sponsored discriminatory policies. India must ensure safety, protection and well-being of the minorities, including Muslims, and take effective steps for the protection of their places of worship, culture and heritage sites,” he said.

FO rejects Indian ‘concern’ over damage caused to Ranjit’s statue, condemns shelling on mourners

A man was arrested on Tuesday for vandalising the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at the Lahore Fort and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar said that “strict legal action” will be taken against him.

This is the third time the statue has been vandalised since its unveiling in June 2019 to mark the 180th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In a video of the latest incident, the vandal, identified by police officials as Rizwan, can be seen breaking off the statue’s arm and toppling it off its horse before bystanders stopped him from causing further damage.

Reacting to the incident, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, in a statement, said: “Such attacks on the cultural heritage of minority communities in Pakistan highlight the growing intolerance and lack of respect for minority communities in Pakistani society.”

Bagchi further said that “incidents of violence against minority communities, including attacks on their places of worship, their cultural heritage, as well as their private property, are increasing at an alarming rate” and mentioned that “it was only 12 days ago that a mob attacked and desecrated a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan”.

He said “the Pakistani state has completely failed in its duty to prevent such attacks. This is creating a climate of fear for the minority communities to practise their faith”.

He called upon the government of Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities.

Teargas shelling

Meanwhile, the FO in a statement strongly condemned the use of teargas shells and firing of warning shots on Muslims attending a peaceful Muharram procession in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Dozens of Kashmiris have reportedly been detained and journalists been subjected to baton charge.

Imposition of restrictions on Muharram processions represents complete disrespect and deep-rooted prejudice by the Indian government for the sentiments of Muslims in IIOJK. It is also a flagrant violation of Kashmiris’ fundamental right of freedom of religion, the FO said.

India must realise that through oppression, intimidation and systematic violation of fundamental rights, it cannot break the will of Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination.

Pakistan calls upon the international community, the United Nations and other human rights and humanitarian organisations to take notice of brutal suppression of the religious rights and freedom of the Kashmiri people in violation of international law and conventions.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2021