India has strongly condemned remarks made by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on the treatment of minorities and the functioning of places of worship in India.
In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India “categorically rejects” the comments, describing them as unfounded. He added that Zardari has no right to comment on India’s internal matters.
Jaiswal said the remarks were particularly “absurd” given Pakistan’s own record on human rights. He pointed to Pakistan’s long-standing history of minorities of various faiths being deliberately targeted and harmed.
Against this backdrop, the spokesperson said the Pakistani President’s comments appeared driven by political motives and rooted in Pakistan’s policies marked by religious extremism and hate.
