PM Imran warns against harming minorities

Premier says any attack on non-Muslims in reprisal for Delhi riots will be dealt with sternly

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday warned of stern action if any miscreant targeted religious minorities or their places of worship, in reprisal for the recent deadly attacks on Muslims in New Delhi.

In a series of tweets, the prime minister reminded the nation that "our minorities are equal citizens of this country" and if there is any threat to non-Muslims or their places of worships in Pakistan it would be dealt with a firm government response.

“I want to warn our people that anyone in Pakistan targeting our non-Muslim citizens or their places of worship will be dealt with strictly. Our minorities are equal citizens of this country,” he said.

I want to warn our people that anyone in Pakistan targeting our non-Muslim citizens or their places of worship will be dealt with strictly. Our minorities are equal citizens of this country.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 26, 2020

His tweets came after netizens shared a video of an arson attack on a mosque in Delhi, and reports of clashes over the controversial new citizenship law that claimed lives of dozens of people.

Premier Imran expressed concern over the developing situation in India.

“Whenever a racist ideology based on hatred takes over, it leads to bloodshed,” he said. “Today in India we are seeing the Nazi-inspired RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] ideology take over a nuclear-armed state of over a billion people.”

Today in India we are seeing the Nazi-inspired RSS ideology take over a nuclear-armed state of over a billion people. Whenever a racist ideology based on hatred takes over, it leads to bloodshed.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 26, 2020

Imran said that during his address at the United Nations, he had predicted that “once the genie is out of the bottle the bloodshed will get worse”, adding that “Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K) was the beginning. Now 200 million Muslims in India are being targeted. The world community must act now,” he added.

 



The clashes sparked over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new citizenship law that saw mobs armed with swords, guns and acid raze parts of a north-eastern district of the Indian capital in the country’s some of the worst communal violence in decades.

At least 24 people have died in the violence, which broke out after an inflammatory speech by Kapil Mishra, a politician from the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). More than 150 people are also injured, officials at the Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital told Anadolu Agency.

Mishra had given the police an ultimatum to clear those protesting against the citizenship law or face consequences. Soon after, a mob, flanked by police officers, entered the protest site, chanting slogans of the right-wing Hindus, before starting throwing stones.

Over the next two days, rioters in the district set fire to homes, shops, buses, motorcycles, and also beat unarmed men with sticks, iron rods and stones. Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that they attacked mosques and looted shops, while the police remained silent spectators.

President Arif Alvi also condemned the incident, calling it a “disgraceful act”. “Another update of the disgraceful act. Vandalising a mosque! It seems to be a reminder to Muslims of the Babri Masjid episode. I think secular forces within India should rise against such barbaric actions,” he wrote in a tweet.