Shashi Tharoor Flags Worsening Treatment of Minorities in Pakistan

Tharoor Calls Situation ‘Extremely Disturbing’

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday raised concerns over the deteriorating treatment of minorities in Pakistan. He described the situation as “extremely disturbing” and supported External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s remarks on the issue.

Tharoor pointed out that India cannot address these concerns directly due to the lack of dialogue between the two countries. “It is a clear signal that we are concerned about the well-being of minorities in Pakistan. However, without real dialogue, we cannot seek direct redressal,” he stated.

Jaishankar Highlights Attacks on Minorities

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Jaishankar said India is closely monitoring incidents of violence against minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh. He emphasized that while New Delhi continues to express its stance, it cannot change the “fanatical and bigoted mindset” of neighboring nations.

Jaishankar detailed several recent incidents in Pakistan:

• Sikh community: A family was attacked, another was threatened over a gurdwara reopening, and one girl was abducted and forcibly converted.

• Ahmadiyya community: A mosque was sealed, and 40 graves were desecrated.

• Christian community: A mentally unstable Christian man faced blasphemy charges.

HRFP Report Exposes Rising Violence

On March 26, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) released a report highlighting a sharp rise in attacks on religious minorities in early 2025. The report condemned the escalating violence and criticized the lack of justice due to political and religious influences.

HRFP President Naveed Walter stated, “Religious minorities in Pakistan are easy targets for violence, blasphemy charges, abductions, and forced conversions. The neglect of their suffering is even more painful.”

The report also mentioned a recent case in Faisalabad, where a Christian youth, Wasif Masih, was falsely accused of theft, assaulted, and publicly humiliated.