Will show Modi govt how to treat minorities: Khan

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday again tried to compare the treatment of minorities in his country and India, saying these communities would be treated as equal citizens in "Naya Pakistan", "unlike what is happening in India", days after stating that he would "show" the Narendra Modi government "how to treat minorities". Khan's latest comments came on the occasion of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's birthday.

"Naya Pakistan is Quaid's Pakistan and will ensure that our minorities are treated as equal citizens, unlike what is happening in India," he tweeted. He added that Jinnah had envisaged Pakistan as a "democratic, just and compassionate" nation.

Targeting India in another tweet, Khan said: "His (Jinnah's) 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." Khan also claimed that Muslims in Pakistan were treated as equal citizens:

The controversy over the issue started when actor Naseeruddin Shah lamented the rise of mob violence in India over cow vigilantism and expressed fear over rising religious intolerance in the country. Following this, the Pakistani leader took a swipe at the Indian government, saying that he will "show" them "how to treat minorities".