India skewers Pak over its Waqf remark, points to abysmal record on minorities
New Delhi’s reaction came days after Islamabad said last Thursday that the new Waqf law would undermine the community’s control of Islamic charitable endowments
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday dismissed Islamabad’s criticism of the Waqf (Amendment) Act enacted by the Parliament, saying Pakistan has no right to comment on the matter and should instead focus on protecting the rights of the neighbouring country’s minorities.
The reaction from the external affairs ministry came days after Pakistan’s foreign office said last Thursday that the new Indian law will undermine the Muslim community’s control of Islamic charitable endowments and lead to “further marginalisation” of the community.
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“We strongly reject the motivated and baseless comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act enacted by the Parliament of India,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on a matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities, instead of preaching to others,” he said.
When Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Khan was asked at a media briefing about the legislation, he said Islamabad strongly believes it is “an infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims”.
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The Act “usurps the property rights of [the] Muslim community and could potentially dispossess them of a number of mosques, shrines and other holy places”, and “will certainly undermine the Muslim’s management in control of their properties endowed for different religious and charitable purposes”, Khan said.
The passage of the legislation reflects the “growing majoritarianism in India” and there are apprehensions it “will contribute to further marginalisation of Indian Muslims”, he contended.
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The Waqf (Amendment) Act was approved by Parliament following a marathon debate and came into force on April 8. Opposition parties have criticised the law, calling it “anti-Muslim” and “unconstitutional”, while the government defended it as a “historic reform” aimed at benefiting Muslims.
The Waqf (Amendment) Act makes fundamental changes in the central law that governs Islamic charitable endowments, creates a new framework that allows non-Muslims to be a part of waqf bodies, and authorises government officials to conduct surveys of waqf properties.
