India on Tuesday slammed Pakistan over its ‘motivated and baseless’ remarks on the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, and said that the country should look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting minorities.
Last week, commenting on the Waqf Amendment Act, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan condemned the changes in the Waqf laws by India, calling it an “infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims’.
“The passage of this discriminatory legislation is also reflective of the growing majoritarianism in India. There are serious apprehensions that it will contribute to further marginalization of Indian Muslims,” said Shafqat Ali Khan while responding to a query during his weekly press briefing here.
Reacting to Pakistan’s remark, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that they strongly reject “motivated and baseless” comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act.
“Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting minorities’ rights, instead of preaching to others,” said the MEA in a statement.
The Waqf Bill, passed by the Parliament, received the assent of the President on April 5.
The ruling NDA has strongly defended the legislation as beneficial for minorities, while the opposition has described it as “anti-Muslim”.