Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has backed External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar’s remarks on the deteriorating conditions of minorities in Pakistan, emphasizing that the situation is “extremely disturbing.”
Speaking to ANI, Tharoor stressed the need for India to address these concerns at the international level, especially given the lack of dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad. “It is a clear signal that we are concerned about the well-being of minorities in Pakistan. Another difficulty is that there is no real dialogue going on between India and Pakistan. Otherwise, we could have conveyed our concerns directly and sought redressal. The Minister’s statement was completely factual, and we should take note that there’s an extremely disturbing situation in our neighboring country,” he said.
During a Question Hour session in Lok Sabha on Friday, Jaishankar detailed a series of atrocities committed against minorities in Pakistan in February alone, including abductions, forced conversions, and religious persecution. He revealed that 10 such cases were recorded that month, including seven incidents of abduction and forcible conversion, two cases of abduction, and one case involving police action against students celebrating Holi.
Jaishankar further noted that minorities including the Sikh, Ahmadiyya, and Christian communities had also been targeted. He highlighted cases of Sikh families being attacked and threatened, Ahmadiyya places of worship being sealed, and a mentally unstable Christian individual being charged with blasphemy.
India, he said, is actively raising these issues on the international stage. He cited statements made by India’s representative at the UN Human Rights Council and its Ambassador to the UN General Assembly, both of whom condemned Pakistan’s persecution of minorities and its support for extremist elements.
Adding to these concerns, a report released by Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) on March 26 detailed a sharp rise in victimization rates of religious minorities in the country. HRFP President Naveed Walter described the situation as dire, with minorities increasingly becoming targets of attacks, blasphemy accusations, forced conversions, and abductions. The report highlighted cases such as that of Wasif Masih, a Christian youth from Faisalabad, who was falsely accused of theft, assaulted, and publicly humiliated.
With growing international scrutiny, India continues to press for accountability and justice for Pakistan’s religious minorities, urging global institutions to take stronger action against human rights abuses in the region.
