ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed deep concern over the demolitions and threats to historic Muslim religious sites in India, including the 1,000-year-old Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi.
He called on India to immediately stop such actions, warning that they risk leading to the disintegration and perennial chaos of India, according to a post shared on President of Pakistan’s X account on Saturday.
Zardari also urged an immediate halt to these measures and stressed the need to protect minority rights and shared cultural heritage.
Notice for removal of mosque
India’s Northern Railways’ Varanasi division has issued a notice directing the removal of Masjid Ganj Shaheeda near Kashi railway station by June 20, according to Indian media.
The Anjuman Intizamia Masajid Varanasi, the committee managing the mosque, has called the move “illegal”.
On Thursday, office-bearers of the Anjuman Intizamia met the Varanasi District Magistrate (DM) and submitted a memorandum requesting an inquiry into the documents and details cited by the railways.
The committee also urged the administration to issue directions preventing the Railways from carrying out the demolition.
No connection with railways land
According to Indian media, Joint Secretary of Anjuman Intizamia, SM Yaseen, said: “The notice pasted outside the mosque on June 13 by railways administration is illegal since it does not have any date, signature and the stamp. We dismiss the claims by the railways in its notice in the memorandum handed over to the DM today.”
According to the memorandum submitted to the district magistrate, the committee stated: The mosque “Ganj Shaheedan” is registered in the Varanasi Municipal Corporation as A 36/4 building.
The mosque has no connection with railway land, as mentioned in the counter affidavit in a court case, the memorandum said, according to Indian media.
The existence of the mosque is reflected in the map, and the Kashi Railway Station did not exist at that time, it added.
