FO opposes the building of a temple on the site of the Babri Mosque.
According to FO, Hindu supremacist organisations had demanded that some other mosques be converted into temples.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan denounced the building of a Hindu temple on the site of the historic Babri Mosque, which was destroyed in the Indian city of Ayodhya, on Tuesday. Pakistan urged New Delhi to take appropriate action to ensure that the historic mosque is rebuilt on its original site and that those responsible for its destruction receive just punishment.
The Foreign Office issued a warning on the 30th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Mosque by Hindu fundamentalists, noting that several mosques, like the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, had been targeted by organisations advocating Hindu supremacy.
“These demands could result in other catastrophes like the Babri Mosque tragedy. The religious freedoms of Indian Muslims are consistently violated. The Foreign Office claimed that India’s ruling party “continues to promote panic and hostility towards Muslims.”
The destruction of the Babri Mosque 30 years ago “is a tragic reminder of the escalating anti-Muslim hysteria in India ever since,” according to the statement. It also denounced the convicting of the criminals who destroyed it and their subsequent acquittal.
According to the statement, “We call upon the Government of India to ensure that the Babri Mosque is rebuilt on its original site and that the criminals responsible for its destruction are awarded befitting punishment, as also demanded by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation through its various pronouncements.
“The growing Islamophobia, hate speech, and hate crimes in India must be taken into consideration by the world community. Muslim minority, in particular, and their places of worship must be protected by the Indian government.
The Foreign Office pleaded with the global community, the UN, and pertinent international organisations to do its part to protect India’s Islamic cultural sites from the extreme Hindutva dictatorship.
Separately, the Foreign Office expressed “deep sadness” at India’s decision to refuse the Pakistan blind cricket team a visa to travel to India to compete in the third T-20 World Cup Cricket Tournament for the Blind, which will take place from December 5–17, 2022.
“Due to the Indian government’s decision, Pakistani athletes would be denied the chance to take part in a major international sporting event. This demonstrates India’s callousness toward the promotion of sports for people with disabilities. Politicization of sporting activities is not permitted.
