Thousands of Muslims including women and children were martyred in so-called secular state of India while similar number of people of other minorities particularly untouchables were killed ,As the world observed the ‘International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief’ on Saturday, Pakistan sent out a timely reminder of the BJP-RSS regime’s sinister design of ‘cleansing’ India of the vestiges of its Islamic heritage and making Muslims second class citizens, and even non-citizens.
“The suffering of Muslims of India has increased manifold during COVID-19 due to targeted disinformation and deliberate hate campaigns against them,” said the Foreign Office in a statement.
Pakistan joined the international community in expressing solidarity with and support to the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief saying this was an important occasion to renew global solidarity in countering discrimination, hatred, and acts of violence against people and communities on the basis of religion or belief.
While there is criticism at home on several cases of religious intolerance, the government says it will remain to be guided by the vision of its founding fathers.
“Pakistan has always been at the forefront of all international initiatives for Continued from page 12 promoting peace, tolerance, inter-cultural and inter-faith harmony, and respect both at home and abroad,” it said.
Also not to be forgotten, said Pakistan, were the victims of violence based on religion and belief, and called upon India to immediately lift its inhuman military siege in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K).
“For over a year, the people of IOJ&K have been deprived of all fundamental freedoms, including their right to perform their religious duties. India must be held accountable for its serious crimes against the Kashmiri people,” the Foreign Office said.
On the basis of principles enshrined in our constitution, the government has taken a number of steps domestically to promote freedom on the basis of religion or belief and protecting minorities, including establishment of the National Commission for Minorities, and restoration of places of worship of minorities. We opened the Kartarpur Corridor, and constructed the world’s largest Gurdwara, allowing easy access to our Sikh brethren from the neighborhood and across the world. The UN Secretary General termed it a “corridor of hope”.
As Pakistan commemorates this day, it says it is particularly alarmed at the global resurgence of xenophobia, hatred, and acts of violence against minorities. Even as the victims of violence belong to diverse religious minorities across the world, there is a disproportionate growth in hate speech and stigmatization of Muslim communities and individuals, leading to acts of violence.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan has been raising awareness about this phenomenon and remains in the vanguard of international efforts to counter Islamophobia,” it added.
The Foreign Office said it would continue to advance international efforts to protect individuals against xenophobia, intolerance, discrimination, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, violence, and incitement to violence based on religion or belief.
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