Pakistan should look at its own abysmal record of protecting rights of minorities: India

MEA’s response comes after Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the Waqf (Amendment) Act as an “infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indians Muslims”

Pakistan has no ‘locus standi’ to comment on India’s internal affairs, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday in a hard-hitting statement after Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) described the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 as an “infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indians Muslims”.

“We strongly reject the motivated and baseless comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act enacted by the Parliament of India. Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on a matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities, instead of preaching to others,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office had called the new law that was passed by the Parliament on April 3 a “discriminatory legislation” saying, “We strongly believe it is an infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims. Particularly the Act usurps the property rights of Muslim community and could potentially dispossess them of a number of mosques, shrines and other holy places.”

“The passage of this discriminatory legislation is also reflective of the growing majoritarianism in India. There are serious apprehensions that it will contribute to further marginalisation of Indian Muslims,” said the MoFA spokesperson in Islamabad in response to a question during a briefing last Thursday.

Published - April 15, 2025 11:47 pm IST