Islamabad, Pakistan has officially called on the Indian government to ensure the safety and protection of minorities, especially Muslims and their places of worship. This plea comes in the context of ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of religious minorities in India.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Foreign Office of Pakistan issued a statement on the 31st anniversary of the demolition of the historic Babri Mosque. The statement recalls the event in Ayodhya city, Uttar Pradesh, where the mosque was razed by a group of Hindu extremists while Indian law enforcement authorities reportedly stood by. The statement reflects on this event as a symbol of the challenges faced by minorities, particularly Muslims, in India.

The Foreign Office criticized the Indian judiciary’s decision to acquit those responsible for the mosque’s demolition and the subsequent approval for constructing a temple on the demolished site. The statement noted that this temple is expected to be inaugurated in January 2024, ahead of India’s next general elections.

Further, the statement highlighted recent remarks by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, which it interprets as advocating the demolition of the Babri Mosque as a model for action in Pakistan. The Foreign Office voiced concerns about the ongoing anti-Muslim sentiment and the demands from Hindu supremacist groups for the conversion of other mosques into temples, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura.

The statement also mentioned the demolition of several mosques and shrines in India under various administrative and judicial pretexts, and the targeting of Muslim holy sites by extremist groups. The Pakistani Foreign Office urged the international community to recognize and address the growing issue of Islamophobia, hate speech, and hate crimes in India.