Will ensure 'our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike India': Pak's Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister upped the ante on the ongoing minority row on Tuesday. In a series of tweets, Khan stated that Muhammad Ali Jinnah's struggle for a separate nation started when he realised that "Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority."

He added that 'Naya Pakistan' is "Quaid's Pakistan" wherein he will ensure "that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India."

"His (Jinnah) struggle for a separate nation for Muslims only started when he realised that Muslims would not be treated as equal citizens by the Hindu majority. Naya Pak is Quaid's Pak and we will ensure that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India," Khan tweeted out. 

He added that Quaid (Jinnah) had a vision to see Pakistan as a democratic, just and compassionate nation. 

"Most importantly he wanted our minorities to be equal citizens. It should be remembered that his early political career was as an ambassador for Hindu Muslim unity," he stated. 

Khan's comments came in the backdrop of a controversy involving Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah's over his remarks on mob violence in India.

Shah finds himself at the centre of a major controversy over his remarks on the spate of mob lynching cases in India following the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district earlier this month.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said he will "show" PM Modi-led government "how to treat minorities." 

"We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities... Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens," he said referring to Shah's statement.

Khan's comments raked a controversy in India with senior leaders and politicians asking that the Pak PM should look after the affairs of his own country. 

"According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It's high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief said.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday described India as one of the most tolerant countries in the world where people of different religions live together peacefully. 

"India is the only country where people of all religions live together peacefully. There are 72 sects in Islam, all of them are found here, not even the Islamic countries have all. There’s no question of intolerance in the country", Rajnath Singh said.