Pakistan on Sunday condemned the demolition of a century-old mosque in India’s Uttar Pradesh. The Foreign Office described the move as part of an Islamophobic campaign targeting Islamic heritage.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan called the demolition a reprehensible action against a historic Islamic place of worship. He also recalled the 1992 demolition of the Babri Mosque as a symbol of religious intolerance.
Pakistan Calls for International Action
Khan urged the international community to take immediate notice of the alleged persecution of Muslims in India. He also highlighted the continued destruction and desecration of Muslim places of worship.
Pakistan called for accountability over actions affecting religious freedom and minority cultural heritage. The Foreign Office particularly highlighted concerns involving Muslims and their historic religious sites.
According to The Indian Express, authorities demolished the mosque inside a Collectorate in Saharanpur. The demolition reportedly occurred one day before the report was published.
The action came three days after a district court dismissed an appeal against an earlier order. That order had declared the structure unauthorised because it stood on government-owned land.
Mosque Demolition Sparks Wider Controversy
Mosque staff member Tanveer Ahmed said authorities had ordered eviction rather than demolition. He claimed the mosque was around 150 years old and said the land remained recorded in their names.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the demolition. The Hyderabad lawmaker questioned whether India’s constitutional religious freedom guarantees applied equally to Muslims.
Owaisi claimed the mosque dated back to 1911, according to reports. He also argued that the Collectorate itself was constructed after the mosque.
The demolition has consequently triggered criticism from Pakistan and Indian Muslim political leaders. Meanwhile, questions remain over the mosque’s historical status and the circumstances surrounding its removal.
