Pakistan Condemns Demolition of Historic Mosque in India, Citing Religious Intolerance

In a recent incident that has drawn international attention, Pakistan's Foreign Office has denounced the demolition of a century-old mosque in Uttar Pradesh, India. Describing the event as part of a broader pattern of religious intolerance, the Foreign Office termed it an act driven by an 'Islamophobic and Hindutva-driven campaign to erase the Islamic heritage' in India.

Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan expressed deep concern over the demolition, labeling it a 'reprehensible action against a historic Islamic place of worship.' He highlighted the ongoing systematic persecution of Muslims in India, referencing the 1992 destruction of the Babri Mosque as a symbol of enduring religious intolerance. The statement called for the international community to take immediate action against such acts and hold Indian authorities accountable for undermining the religious freedoms of minorities, particularly Muslims.

The demolition took place within the Collectorate in Saharanpur, just a day before the Foreign Office's condemnation, and followed a district court's dismissal of an appeal regarding the mosque's status. A mosque staff member, Tanveer Ahmed, insisted that the order pertained to eviction rather than demolition, claiming that the mosque, over 150 years old, was on rightful land. Prominent Indian politician Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the act, questioning whether constitutional guarantees of religious freedom applied to Muslims in India.

Source: www.dawn.com