Islamabad, March 28, 2026: The Foreign Office (FO) here on Saturday rejected recent remarks by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs regarding the treatment of Pakistan’s Shia community, calling them “cynical and diversionary” and an “exercise in deflection masquerading as concern.”
The statement follows India’s comments on alleged remarks by Chief of Defence Staff (CDF) Asim Munir, who, during a meeting with Shia clerics in Rawalpindi earlier this month, reportedly advised that agitators reacting violently to events in Iran should go there.
The FO stated that CDF Munir’s meeting focused on national security and maintaining societal harmony, and that religious sentiments must not be exploited to incite violence.
FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said India’s statements could not “mask its own record of discrimination and violence against Muslims, Christians, and other marginalized communities,” citing incidents of mob lynchings and attacks on mosques.
According to FO, over 55 Muslims were lynched in India in 2025, and 19 since January 2026. He added that perpetrators often act with impunity, enabled by state patronage.
The FO urged India to address its domestic human rights issues in accordance with its constitutional and international obligations and refrain from making politically motivated statements about Pakistan.
Earlier this week, the FO also condemned External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s derogatory comments regarding Pakistan’s role as a mediator in indirect peace talks between Iran and the United States, calling the language “undiplomatic” and reflective of frustration.