NEW DELHI — India has fiercely rejected statements made by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari regarding alleged threats to Islamic heritage sites in India, labeling them “absurd” and a “deliberate political attack.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summarily reminded Islamabad that it holds no legal or political standing to interfere in India’s domestic affairs.
The diplomatic spat erupted after Zardari posted remarks on social media platform X alleging a demolition threat to the historic Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi and other Muslim sites across India.
MEA Rebuffs Islamabad’s Interference
In a strongly worded press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal flatly dismissed the Pakistani head of state’s claims, pointing out the severe irony of Pakistan lecturing other democracies on minority rights.
“India categorically rejects the unwarranted comments made by the President of Pakistan. He has, in any case, no locus standi to comment on matters that are internal to India,” Jaiswal stated.
The foreign ministry highlighting the following points in its rebuttal:
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Abysmal Domestic Track Record: The MEA noted that Pakistan’s own human rights track record remains a subject of global condemnation, citing its long history of systematically targeting and victimizing domestic minorities.
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Motivations of Hatred: The government stated that Zardari’s provocative commentary was entirely driven by Pakistan’s institutionalized state policies of bigotry, aiming to stoke regional tensions rather than address factual realities.
Global Scrutiny on Pakistan’s Minority Rights
India’s counterattack aligns with repeated findings from international watchdogs, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), which consistently flag severe systemic persecution in Pakistan. Independent non-governmental organizations continue to report unchecked blasphemy-related violence and state-sanctioned discrimination targeting religious minorities, particularly Hindus, Christians, and the Ahmadiyya community.
New Delhi re-established its long-standing diplomatic position that Islamabad must halt its routine practice of weaponizing fabricated narratives regarding Indian internal matters to distract from its own domestic failures.
