ISLAMABAD, Dec 8 (EW): The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday urged the international community to take notice, as it claimed neighbouring state of India was involved in state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan.
FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zehra Baloch in her weekly media briefing regretted the United States’ (US) decision to include Pakistan’s name in the list of religious freedoms, while not including India in the list which she said showed discrimination.
Earlier this month, Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia, among others, were designated as countries of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over severe violations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said.
In an annual report , the US Commission on International Religious Freedom — which is appointed to offer recommendations but does not set US policy — had voiced wide concern about South Asia and also backed the State Department’s inclusion of Pakistan on the blacklist.
Meanwhile in India, the commission had pointed to “numerous” attacks on religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in 2021 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government promoted “its ideological vision of a Hindu state” through policies hostile to minorities.
“Religious freedom conditions in India significantly worsened,” the report had said.
Speaking on the matter, the FO said that “India was not included in the list despite the recommendation of the US Commission”.
“It has been 30 years since the martyrdom of Babri Masjid,” Baloch said.
The spokesperson also said that “Pakistan has faced terrorism for a long time”.
“There are no safe havens for terrorists in Pakistan. India is involved in state terrorism in Pakistan. The international community should take notice of this matter,” she said.
“Action should be taken against the forces involved in terrorism in Pakistan,” the spokesperson added.
She also expressed disappointment over India having declined to grant visas to Pakistan’s visually impaired cricket team which had soured already tense relations.
