Pakistan's state-affiliated media entity PTV News attempted to lash out at India with falsehoods while citing research by IAMC detailing 'hate speeches'

Ditching its all-weather ally China's foreign policy to not meddle with other countries' internal matters, Pakistan's state-affiliated media entity PTV News attempted to lash out at India with misinformation while citing research by Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC). Peddling false information about the state of religious minorities in India and seemingly oblivious to the atrocities inflicted upon minorities in Pakistan, the agency cited a report detailing 'continuing hate speech' in India.

Taking to Twitter, indicative of the channel's limited access to relevant matters of India, PTV News stated, "IAMC Report on Indian religious minorities: "This report details the continuing hate speech (including renewed calls for mass violence and genocide), discriminatory policies, harassment, and violence targeting Christians and Muslims over March 2022."

"The report includes recommendations for the US government, the international community, and India to de-escalate the situation and prevent impending mass categorical violence and genocide," it added.

Pakistan Attempts To Take A Jibe At Minorities' Rights Issues In India

Authored by one self-proclaimed IAMC researcher Noelle Jones, the report conveniently misplaced the word 'genocide of Muslims' with no adherence to possible hatred that can spread. Misrepresenting terms that define a society, the report has indicated secularism in India as a far-fetched or Utopian goal.

Dismissing interpretations of scholars in India, the IAMC report prepared by a foreign writer defined 'Hindutva' as a Hindu nationalist as against Veer Savarkar's definition i.e. quality of being a Hindu. Politicising religious differences that constitute the diversity across India, the report aims to further spread contagious rumours about communal issues in the country. Also, the writer has evidently overlooked the democratic structure in India which resulted in the BJP holding the Centre on the basis of its ideologies and vision. Instead, the writer, endorsed by a Pakistani news agency, wrote that BJP ideologies are 'allowed to thrive'.

While this is not the first instance when Islamabad has meddled in India's internal affairs, experts warn Pakistan's media should be more accountable in relation to recent developments and the grave political crisis surrounding Pakistan.

Hindus Oppressed In Pakistan

Amounting to inequality under the aegis of plastic harmony, the Hindu community in Pakistan's Khyber were directed by the court to pay fines imposed on 11 religious leaders involved in the temple attack in Karak district in December 2020 and made it sound like a 'goodwill gesture'. It may be noted that the release of 100 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in lieu of a ceasefire in November 2021 was also termed as a 'goodwill gesture' by Pakistan.

"This is how Hindus are bullied in the interfaith harmony," a netizen said while reacting to directions to Hindus to pay a fine for the renovation of the temple damaged during an attack on their community.

In March 2022, adding to the series of violence against minorities in Pakistan, an 18-year-old Hindu girl was reportedly shot dead in Pakistan's Sindh province. Pakistan media reports claimed that the girl was shot dead in the Rohi area of Sukkur town during a failed abduction attempt.