Pak summons Indian Charge d'Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia

The Indian diplomat was summoned a day after Pakistan's Charge d'affaires in New Delhi Syed Haider Shah was summoned on Monday to lodge a strong protest at the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday summoned Indian Charge d'Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and conveyed its "strong rejection" of what it called "baseless Indian allegations" about the treatment of the Sikh community in the Muslim-majority country.

The Foreign Office said that Ahluwalia was summoned by Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri.

The Indian diplomat was summoned a day after Pakistan's Charge d'affaires in New Delhi Syed Haider Shah was summoned on Monday to lodge a strong protest at the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar.

Chaudhri "conveyed Pakistan's strong denouncement of the Indian government's motivated and mischievous allegations of 'attack', 'vandalism' and 'desecration' at the holy Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and 'targeted killing' of Pakistani Sikh youth in Peshawar," the FO said.

It claimed that the allegations were part of India's "desperate attempts to divert attention" from Kashmir.

"Islamabad's strong rejection of baseless and fabricated Indian allegations concerning the Sikh community was conveyed," the FO said.

Chaudhri underscored that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights to all its citizens and the Government is committed to protecting the rights of minorities, with zero-tolerance against any discrimination.

He emphasized that rather than pointing fingers towards others, New Delhi should focus on ensuring effective protection of its own minorities and their places of worship from repeated instances of desecration, hate crimes and mob lynching.