Imran Khan has condemned the controversial remarks made by now-suspended and expelled BJP leaders against Prophet Mohammad and asked the Pakistan government to sever ties with India and take a harsh position on the issue.
The ousted prime minister, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), made the demand on Tuesday while addressing the lawyers’ convention in Islamabad.
He said the Pakistan government should follow the Arab countries and take a strong position against the Narendra Modi government.
"The government should sever ties with India," he said. "Indian products should be boycotted."
On Monday, Khan strongly condemned the "hateful attack by a BJP spokesperson" on the Prophet and accused the Modi government of "deliberately following a policy of provocation and hatred towards Muslims in India including inciting vigilante violence against them."
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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the "hurtful" remarks against the prophet of Islam.
The ties between India and Pakistan nose-dived after New Delhi abrogated the Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India’s decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.
Over a dozen Muslim countries have condemned the controversial remarks made by now-suspended and expelled BJP leaders against the Prophet.
The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after their controversial remarks against the Prophet.
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Amid protests by Muslim groups over the remarks, the party also issued a statement aimed at assuaging the concerns of minorities and distancing itself from these members, asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces the insult of any religious personality.
The controversial remarks also sparked a Twitter trend in the Arab world calling for a boycott of Indian products.
(With PTI inputs)
