Pakistan rejects India's criticism on Shia community, terms remarks 'cynical and diversionary'

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan on Saturday firmly rejected comments by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs concerning the treatment of Pakistan’s Shia community, calling them “cynical and diversionary” and dismissing them as “an exercise in deflection masquerading as concern.”

The statement followed Indian criticism citing alleged remarks by Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir. During an interaction with Shia clerics earlier this month in Rawalpindi, CDF Munir reportedly advised agitators responding violently to events in Iran to refrain from using Pakistan’s territory and to channel their concerns appropriately.

According to an official statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting aimed to discuss national security and the role of religious leaders in fostering societal harmony. CDF Munir emphasized that religious sentiments should not be exploited to incite violence within the country.

On Friday, Indian MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, quoted by news agency ANI, described Munir’s remarks as indicative of Pakistan’s “systemic victimisation of minorities.”

Responding, FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi issued a strong rebuttal on Saturday, highlighting that India’s comments were politically motivated and intended to deflect attention from its own record. “Pakistan rejects India’s remarks as cynical and diversionary — an exercise in deflection masquerading as concern,” he said.

Andrabi underscored that India’s internal record reflects a steady normalisation of discrimination and violence against Muslims, Christians, and other marginalised communities, citing restrictions on worship, mob vigilantism, and attacks on homes and livelihoods. He added that these patterns are “well-documented.”

“The escalating wave of mob lynchings targeting Muslims is deeply abhorrent. In 2025, more than 55 Muslims were reportedly lynched in India, and since January 2026, over 19 Muslims have been killed by violent mobs,” Andrabi said. He further noted that extremist groups had unlawfully targeted 11 mosques, with perpetrators often acting with impunity.

The FO urged India to address these documented concerns within its own borders, ensure protection for all communities, and refrain from issuing politically motivated statements about other countries.

This exchange comes against the backdrop of tensions earlier this week, when Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed anger over Pakistan’s mediation efforts in indirect peace talks between the United States and Iran. The FO had previously described his language as “undiplomatic” and reflective of frustration, noting that Jaishankar’s use of a derogatory term in South Asia betrayed a sense of vexation over Pakistan’s emerging diplomatic role.