FO rejects India’s allegations of persecution of minorities in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The foreign Office (FO) has categorically rejected Indian government's baseless allegations of persecution of minorities in Pakistan. In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that percentage of minorities in Pakistan has increased over the past decades. According to the first Census in Pakistan, the total population of minorities in West Pakistan (today's Pakistan) was 3.12 percent in 1951, which increased upto 3.72 percent by 1998. The Spokesperson said the Indian Government's claims are an attempt to cover up its systematic efforts to marginalize and disenfranchise India's religious and social minorities, particularly Muslims. A day earlier, FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi asked India to immediately withdraw the controversial citizenship law. Speaking to the journalists, he categorically stated that Pakistan will raise its voice against this new controversial law at every forum. He said the legislation is against the minorities especially the Muslims. FM Qureshi mentioned that that several organizations working for religious freedom have also expressed their reservations against the Indian legislation. The foreign minister maintained that India stands divided on the contentious legislation. “Five Indian states including Delhi government have also refused to implement the new controversial citizenship law,” he added “India is faced with a constitutional crisis and the situation there is deteriorating. The situation that we used to see in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) is now prevalent in entire India,” FM Qureshi said.