- Foreign Office cites threats facing other historic mosques.
- FO highlights increasing marginalisation of Indian Muslims.
- UN urged to safeguard Islamic heritage internationally.
Pakistan has noted with deep concern the flag hoisting at the so-called “Ram Temple” constructed on the site of the historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
The Babri Mosque, a centuries-old place of worship, was demolished on December 6, 1992, by extremist mobs inspired by fascist ideologies.
The subsequent judicial processes in India, which acquitted those responsible and permitted the construction of a temple on the demolished mosque’s site, speak volumes about the Indian state’s discriminatory approach towards minorities.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hoisted a saffron flag atop the “temple” during a “sacred ceremony”, marking the formal completion of its construction, Indian media reported.
In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said that this reflected a broader pattern of pressure on religious minorities in India and deliberate attempts at eroding Muslim cultural and religious heritage under the influence of majoritarian Hindutva ideology.
“Numerous other historic mosques now face similar threats of desecration or demolition, while Indian Muslims continue to experience growing social, economic and political marginalisation,” he said.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan calls on the international community to take cognisance of the rising Islamophobia, hate speech and hate-motivated attacks in India.
The United Nations and relevant international bodies, he stressed, must play a constructive role in safeguarding Islamic heritage and ensuring the protection of the religious and cultural rights of all minorities.
“Pakistan urges the Government of India to uphold its responsibilities by ensuring the security of all religious communities, including Muslims, and by protecting their places of worship in accordance with international human rights obligations.”
