External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday informed the Lok Sabha about the “crimes and atrocities against minorities” in Pakistan, saying that India closely monitors their treatment in the country.
He said India raises the issue internationally and reiterated its stance at the United Nations, where the neighbouring country was criticised for “human rights abuses and persecution of minorities.”
As an example, the minister listed several incidents of atrocities that took place in February. He said, “We follow very closely and track the treatment of minorities in Pakistan. In the month of February, there were ten cases of atrocities against the Hindu community, seven of them related to abduction and forcible conversion, two related to abduction, and one related to police action against students who were celebrating Holi.”
Jaishankar further pointed out incidents involving the Sikh community, saying, “There were three incidents relating to the Sikh community in Pakistan. In one case, a Sikh family was attacked. In another case, a Sikh family was threatened because of the reopening of an old Gurudwara. There was also an abduction and conversion issue with one girl from the community.”
He also mentioned cases involving the Ahmadiyya community, saying, “There were two cases pertaining to the Ahmadiyya community. In one case, a mosque was sealed, and in another case, 40 graves were desecrated.”
Lastly, he referred to an incident involving the Christian community, saying, “There was one case pertaining to the Christian community, where a Christian person, who reportedly was mentally unstable, was charged with blasphemy.”
He made the remarks in response to a query during the Question Hour in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.
“We take up these cases at the international level. Our representative at the UNHRC highlighted that Pakistan is a country where human rights abuses, the persecution of minorities, and the systematic erosion of democratic values are state policies, and it harbours UN-sanctioned terrorists,” Jaishankar told Parliament.