Prophet Muhammad remarks row: Pakistan summons CDA, India retorts “Focus on your minorities”

Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan issued a strong demarche to the Indian Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad condemning the remarks against Prophet Mohammad made by two BJP functionaries, even as India has slammed the remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that “India under Modi is persecuting Muslims”.

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the Charge d’ Affaires M Suresh Kumar and issued a strong demarche condemning the controversial remarks about the Prophet made by now-expelled BJP functionaries.

The Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while condemning the remarks by the BJP functionaries, also said that “India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims. World should take note and severely reprimand India.”

He added, in a line aimed to whip up communal sentiments, that “All Muslims can sacrifice their life for the Love & Respect of their Holy Prophet.”

In response to the Pakistani Prime Minister and statement by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the “absurdity of a serial violator of minority rights commenting on the treatment of minorities in another nation is not lost on anyone”.

He also said “The world has been witness to the systemic persecution of minorities including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Ahmadiyyas by Pakistan.”

Bagchi said the Government of India accords the highest respect to all religions. “This is quite unlike Pakistan where fanatics are eulogized and monuments built in their honour.”

The Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in a tweet condemned the remarks by the BJP functionaries - Naveen Jindal and Nupur Sharma - as repugnant and added that it is “Time for the international community to stop the ‘Hindutva’ inspired Islamophobia in India”.

The Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement on Sunday “strongly condemned and rejected the totally unacceptable derogatory remarks by BJP officials about Holy Prophet Muhammad. This has deeply hurt sentiments of Muslims in Pakistan, India & across the world.”

It said “BJP’s attempted clarification and belated and perfunctory disciplinary action against these individuals cannot assuage the pain and anguish they have caused to the Muslim world.” (UNI)