Pak using death of 11 Pakistani Hindus to further anti-India agenda: MEA

The Pakistani establishment is exploiting the death of 11 migrant Hindus from that country in India to further its anti-India propaganda and a staged protest was held in Islamabad recently by people who claimed to belong to the Hindu community, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

Eleven members of a family of Pakistani Hindu migrants were found dead at a farm in Rajasthan's Jodhpur district in August. The family, belonging to the Bhil community, had come to India from Pakistan's Sindh province in 2015 on a long-term visa. They had been living at the Lodta village farm, which they had hired for farming, for the past six months.

Asked about reports of a protest against India near the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said it is the responsibility of the Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety and security of the Indian High Commission and its personnel.

"There was this incident of the death of 11 migrant Pakistani Hindus which was reported to us on August 8. We also received a communication from Pakistan High commission requesting confirmation of media reports and other details," Srivastava said.

"What we did was we sought facts from concerned authorities and an interim response was shared with the high commission on August 15 including names of 11 persons and other relevant details," he said at an online media briefing.

Srivastava said the ministry also informed that these people were in India since September 2015 as per records and the cause of death was due to consumption of a toxic substance and that detailed investigations were being carried out.

"Unfortunately, what has happened is that this incident has been exploited by the Pakistani establishment to further its own anti-India propaganda. A staged protest was held in Islamabad ostensibly by people who claimed to belong to the Hindu community," he said.

On the Kulbhushan Jadhav case, Srivastva said, "We remain in touch with Pakistan through diplomatic channels on this matter and as I have said earlier Pakistan needs to respect the ICJ judgment in letter and spirit which includes provision of all related documents as well as providing unimpeded consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"Asked about the Kerala gold smuggling case, he said India and the UAE have close friendly relations and the Gulf country has been extending all cooperation on the matter. On the MoU signed between the state government and a UAE NGO, he said the ministry was looking at the legal angle.