Pakistan has strongly condemned highly derogatory remarks recently made by two senior leaders of India’s ruling party BJP, that disrespect the Holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him). The Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement said that these totally unacceptable remarks have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan but of billions of Muslims around the world. Muslims residing in India are equally outraged by the completely repugnant comments by the two BJP officials. The ensuing communal violence in Kanpur and in other parts of India bears testimony to this fact. Pakistan is also deeply concerned about the alarming rise in communal violence and hatred directed against the Muslims in India. Muslims in India are being systematically stigmatised, marginalised and subjected to a well-orchestrated onslaught from radical Hindu mobs with full connivance and support of the security apparatus across various states in India. “Regrettably, the Indian state machinery has remained aloof to the desperate calls for assistance by the local Muslim communities across the country,” the statement said. The continued grave violations of the rights of minorities in several BJP-ruled states; anti-Muslim legislation by the Union government of India and continued incidents of violence against Muslims on flimsy pretexts by various “Hindutva” groups with complete impunity, and often under state patronage, highlight the worsening trend of Islamophobia and extremism in India. “The silence of the top leadership of the BJP is yet another proof that these Hindu zealots have the tacit support of the state machinery in carrying out their nefarious designs of marginalisation and dehumanising of the minorities, especially Muslims,” it said. “Pakistan urges India to ensure that decisive and demonstrable action is taken against those responsible for making derogatory remarks and attacking the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). India must also take immediate steps to protect its minorities from human rights violations, ensure their safety, security and well-being and allow them to profess and practise their faiths in peace.” Pakistan once again calls on the international community to take immediate cognizance of the grievously aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India. India must be held accountable for stifling the rights of the minorities, especially Muslims to practice their faith and religious beliefs. The international community must dissuade India from its reprehensible campaign of “saffronisation” and ensure that Muslims are not victimised for having different religious beliefs than the majority population. The world must intervene to protect the Muslims in India from an impending genocide at the hands of Hindutva-inspired Hindu zealots, emboldened by the BJP-RSS dispensation at the helm, the statement said. Taking to Twitter to condemn the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote: “Have said it repeatedly India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims. The world should take note & severely reprimand India.” He added that Muslims’ love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is supreme and that all Muslims can sacrifice their lives for the love and respect of their prophet. Following condemnations from Muslims in India and afield, the BJP suspended its party spokesperson Nupur Sharma and fired its media head Naveen Kumar Jindal for hateful comments toward Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).