Malik's volte-face, says not equating 26/11 with Babri

"There is no comparison, whatsoever, between Babri mosque demolition and 26/11 attacks. Babri mosque was actually ethnic. It was a sectarian strife," Rehman said, adding that his remark should not be taken "in a negative way".

The Pakistani leader, who is on a three-day visit, said he had no intention to interfere in the inter-faith matter as he was fully aware of such issues.

"Pakistan itself is a victim of inter-faith clashes, sectarian strife. There have been Shia-Sunni clashes in Pakistan. My intention was not to create confusion but sound caution to the both countries," he said.

Malik said he was not a person who would interfere in somebody's religion or inter-faith matters but a person who goes out and leads on issues of communal harmony.

"So I said like the incidents of 9/11, people dying in Quetta, our Shia and Sunni people are being killed in Karachi. I (had) also said incidents like Mumbai blasts, Babri Masjid case, I am repeating it here and please do not take it in a negative way, we do not want that these things should happen in any region of India and Pakistan," he said on the sidelines of a function here.

The Pakistani Minister had yesterday stoked a controversy by equating the Babri Masjid demolition incident with the Mumbai terror attack. (More)