Pakistan rejects Indian allegations about minorities

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan on Tuesday summoned India’s charge d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad to convey its rejection of New Delhi’s "baseless" and "fabricated" allegations concerning the Sikh community.

Pakistan conveyed its strong denouncement of the Indian government’s "motivated and mischievous" allegations of "attack", "vandalism" and "desecration" at the holy temple Nankana Sahib, and killing of a Pakistani Sikh youth in Peshawar, said a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

It termed the Indian move as “part of its desperate attempts to divert attention from the continuing state terrorism” in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and “systematic discrimination against minorities in India.”

Pakistan said it had arrested the key suspect who allegedly enraged a group of local Muslims against Sikh community last week in Nankana Sahib district of the northeastern Punjab province, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion.

“Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights to all its citizens and the government is committed to protecting the rights of minorities, with zero-tolerance against any discrimination,” the statement said.

Rather than pointing fingers towards others, it added, India should focus on ensuring effective protection of its own minorities and their holy places of worship, including mosques, from repeated instances of desecration, hate crimes and mob lynchings.