Pakistan expresses ‘deep concern’ over Babri Mosque verdict

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed “deep concern” over Indian Supreme Court’s verdict in the historic Babri Mosque case, saying that the decision has made it clear that minorities are no longer safe in India.

India’s top court earlier in the day ruled in favour of Hindus and said that a temple should be constructed on the disputed site in Ayodhya. Muslims were allotted an alternate piece of land to build the mosque razed by Hindu fanatics in 1992.

In a statement, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said the decision has once again failed to uphold the demands of justice, and points out that India cannot protect the interest of minorities.

“The decision has, once again, failed to uphold the demands of justice. As the United Nations recently noted that Indian Supreme Court’s response to human rights petitions in the context of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir was slow, this decision points out that when it acts, it is unable to protect the interests of India’s minorities,” said the statement .

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The Foreign Office further said the decision has shredded the veneer of so-called secularism of India by making it clear that minorities in India are no longer safe, and have to fear for their beliefs and places of worship.

“This decision has shredded the veneer of so-called secularism of India by making clear that minorities in India are no longer safe; they have to fear for their beliefs and for their places of worship,” said the spokesperson.

“A process of re-writing history is underway in India in order to recast it in the image of a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ in pursuance of the Hindutva ideology,” the spokespeson said further, adding that this is also rapidly affecting India’s major institutions.

The statement said the rising tide of extremist ideology in India, based on the belief of Hindu supremacy and exclusion, is a threat to regional peace and stability.

The spokesman further said the Indian government should ensure the protection of Muslims, their lives, rights and properties and avoid being yet again a silent spectator of Muslims becoming the victims of Hindu extremists and zealots.

The Foreign Office called on the international community, the United Nations and other human rights organisations to play their role by restraining India from its pursuit of an extremist ideology and to ensure equal rights and protection of the minorities in India.