India rejects Pakistan’s remarks on minorities, calls them baseless and misleading

New Delhi: India on Monday firmly rejected comments made by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the status of minorities in the country, stating that Islamabad has no moral authority to lecture others on the issue.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan’s own record of treatment of religious minorities speaks for itself and cannot be concealed by what it termed as “finger-pointing” at India.

Responding to media queries on remarks made by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Pakistan’s claims were completely unfounded and politically motivated.

He underlined that Pakistan has a long and well-documented history of systemic violence and discrimination against minorities of various faiths.

“We strongly reject the reported statements coming from a country that has a very poor track record when it comes to the treatment of minorities.

The horrific and systematic persecution of minorities of all religions in Pakistan is an established fact. No amount of finger-pointing will obscure this reality,” Jaiswal said.

Pakistan had earlier alleged that religious minorities in India were facing harassment, particularly referring to incidents reported during Christmas celebrations in some parts of the country.

Andrabi claimed that recent “condemnable incidents” reflected growing intolerance and urged the international community to take note of what he described as attacks on religious minorities, including Muslims, in India.

India dismissed these allegations, asserting that Pakistan was attempting to divert attention from its own internal challenges and international criticism over human rights violations. The MEA reiterated that India is a pluralistic democracy where constitutional safeguards ensure equality and protection for all communities.

Officials in New Delhi pointed out that Pakistan continues to witness frequent reports of forced conversions, attacks on places of worship, abductions of minority women, and targeted violence against communities such as Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Ahmadis.

These issues, India said, have been repeatedly flagged by international human rights organisations and foreign governments. “The way Pakistan treats its minorities is a matter of global concern and has been highlighted by credible international bodies. It is ironic that such a country chooses to comment on India’s internal matters,” an MEA official noted.

This is not the first time India has countered Pakistan’s remarks on sensitive domestic issues. In November, Pakistan had objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation in a flag-hoisting ceremony at the Ram Mandir. India had then categorically rejected those comments, describing them as unacceptable and driven by political motives.

At that time, the MEA had stated that Pakistan, given its deep-rooted issues of religious intolerance, lacked the moral standing to comment on matters related to faith and religious freedom in India.

India has consistently maintained that issues related to its internal affairs, including law and order and religious harmony, are handled within its constitutional framework. The government has also emphasised that selective narratives and misrepresentation of facts will not change the ground reality.

By reiterating its position, New Delhi sent a clear message that attempts to internationalise or mischaracterise India’s social fabric will be firmly countered. The MEA said that Pakistan should instead focus on addressing its own governance and human rights challenges rather than making unfounded allegations against India.

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