ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Thursday took strong exception to the implementation of controversial Citizenship Amendment Act by India.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said the legislation and the relevant rules are evidently discriminatory in nature as they differentiate amongst the people on the basis of their faith.
She was addressing a weekly briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
The spokesperson said the regulation and laws are premised on a false assumption that minorities are being persecuted in Muslim countries of the region and the facade of India being a safe haven for them.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch pointed out that the rising wave of Hindutva under the BJP government has led to rapid political, economic and social victimization of Muslims and other minorities in India. She said the discriminatory steps further expose the sinister agenda of transforming India into Hindu Rashtra.
She advised the Indian authorities to stop pre-choreographed targeting and systematic marginalization of minorities. She said only a few days ago, a group UN special rapporteurs urged corrective actions to protect human rights and attacks against minorities in the run up to India’s national elections.
She urged India to take action to protect its own minorities especially Muslims who, she said, are in a very difficult situation because of rising Hindutva.
The spokesperson strongly condemned the Indian decision to declare illegal Kashmir National Front in illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. With this, a total of nine Kashmiri political parties have been outlawed in IIOJK.
She said these oppressive measures reflect a vicious intent by India to stifle dissent and freedom of expression in IIOJK in complete disregard of international laws. She said India should immediately lift curbs on the banned Kashmiri political parties, release all political prisoners and forthwith implement the UNSC resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesperson informed the media that a meeting of programming committee of SAARC was held earlier this month in Kathmandu, Nepal after a gap of three years. She said it reviewed the status of SAARC processes and activities and finalized the budget and calendar of activities of the SAARC Secretariat, specialized bodies and regional centers.
She said being its founding member, Pakistan is fully committed to advancing the objectives of SAARC as enshrined in its charter. She said Pakistan has always played an active role in SAARC processes and activities.
Voicing concerns over ongoing atrocities against Palestinians by Israel, the spokesperson urged the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities to bring an end to the sufferings of Palestinian people.
