AhlulBayt News Agency: Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, expressed deep concern on Saturday over the alarming rise in Islamophobic incidents across India.
Responding to media inquiries regarding the increasing cases of Islamophobia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesperson called on India’s government to ensure the rights and safety of all its citizens, regardless of their faith.
He further stated that the targeting of Muslims through hate speech, discriminatory policies, and state-backed actions is a serious concern for the international community.
The recent deadly attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 tourists, has intensified attacks on minority Muslims by Hindu extremist groups in India.
The incident led to heightened military tensions between Pakistan and India. Earlier this month, Pakistan’s armed forces launched "Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos," a large-scale retaliatory campaign targeting Indian military sites across multiple regions.
Reports indicate a significant surge in anti-Muslim hate incidents across India in the past month.
Since the April 22 attack, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), a New Delhi-based organization, has documented at least 184 cases of anti-Muslim violence throughout the country.
These include three murders, assaults, threats, vandalism, verbal abuse, intimidation, and harassment—over half of which reportedly involved hate speech. According to APCR, more than 100 of these cases were directly linked to the Pahalgam attack as a triggering event.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office underscored that India’s Muslim population bears the brunt of escalations in military confrontations between the two neighboring countries.
Spokesperson Khan highlighted the rise in hate speech and discriminatory actions against Muslims at a time when restraint and reconciliation are crucial. He warned that the deliberate incitement of religious hatred for political or ideological purposes violates international human rights laws and undermines efforts for communal harmony and regional stability.
The surge in anti-Muslim sentiment has been fueled by India’s government accusing Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, despite lacking substantive evidence. Ultranationalist social media accounts have further escalated tensions by labeling Indian Muslims as "infiltrators" or "traitors."
In a statement, the right-wing Hindu nationalist organization Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) urged the government to expel "Pakistani citizens and their sleeper cells."
According to Indian media, VHP leader Surendra Jain stated that "this incident clearly shows that the terrorist has a Mazahab (religion)."
Online hatred has begun manifesting in real life. In Hyderabad, extremists targeted the 'Karachi Bakery' due to its name, demanding it be changed because Karachi is a city in Pakistan.
Additionally, a song titled Pehle Dharam Pocha (They Asked About Religion First) has been circulating on YouTube since the Pahalgam attack. The song accuses Indian Muslims of conspiring against Hindus and demands their expulsion from India.
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