Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari expressed concern over alleged demolitions of historic Muslim sites in India, calling for an immediate halt to such actions. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs rejected his claims, asserting Pakistan has no standing to comment on India's internal matters.Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addresses the press conference, in New Delhi(ANI)The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday rejected comments made by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari claiming “threats to Muslim religious sites in India”, calling the remark "absurd". In a statement, the MEA also made it clear that the Pakistan President had "no locus standi to comment on matters that are internal to India".What MEA saidResponding to media queries on the remarks made by the Pakistani President, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that India "categorically rejects" the comments and described them as unwarranted interference in the country's internal affairs."India categorically rejects the unwarranted comments made by the President of Pakistan. He has, in any case, no locus standi to comment on matters that are internal to India," Jaiswal said in a statement.The MEA also pointed out that the remarks were particularly ironic given Pakistan's own human rights record and treatment of minorities."These comments are particularly absurd given Pakistan's own abysmal record on human rights, which is a matter of global commentary. Pakistan's long history of systematically targeting and victimizing minorities across various faiths is notorious," the spokesperson said.The ministry also alleged that the comments reflected Pakistan's broader political approach toward India."Given this reality, the President's remarks can only be read as a deliberate political attack, driven by Pakistan's national policies of bigotry and hatred," the statement added.Pakistan President's post on XThe MEA's response came after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari issued a statement on alleged demolitions and threats to historic Muslim religious sites in India.In a statement on X, Zardari referred to the alleged demolition threats facing the historic Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi and urged Indian authorities to halt such actions."President Asif Ali Zardari 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 asked India to immediately stop such actions, warning that they risk leading to the disintegration and perennial chaos of India. He called for an immediate halt to such actions and urged the protection of minority rights and shared cultural heritage," the statement said.Kashi Railway Station expansionAccording to reports, railway authorities issued a notice directing the Ganj Shaheeda mosque near Kashi Railway Station to vacate the premises as part of the station expansion project.The Intajamia Masjid Committee has objected to the eviction notice and rejected allegations that it is located on encroached railway land. They argued that the Ganj Shahida Mosque has a history of approximately 1,000 years and existed there long before the railways.Station Superintendent Arpit Gupta of Cant Railway Station said the land around Kashi Railway Station needs to be cleared of encroachments for the station's expansion and proposed construction works."Various locations have been identified and action is being taken accordingly," Gupta said.He said the Railways and the district administration had earlier carried out anti-encroachment drives in and around Kashi Railway Station. As part of a joint exercise, a Hanuman temple and the Ajmer Shaheed mosque situated in the Rajghat area had already been removed, he said.The notice was issued days after the demolition of the Azgaib Shaheed Mazar and a mosque located within the railway station premises on June 3, following a court order in a land-ownership dispute.Officials had said
A former corrections officer who was on duty the night convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in a Manhattan jail says years of conspiracy theories and threats have devastated her personal and professional life, according to a transcript of her interview with the House Oversight Committee obtained and published by ABC News.According to the news outlet, former Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) officer Tova Noel told lawmakers that she continues to face harassment, threats and accusations linking her to Epstein's death despite never being charged in connection with causing it."I thought that I would be able to privately rebuild my life and career. Instead, I have consistently been the subject of threats to my life, conspiracy theories, and outrageous rumors, impacting my mental and physical health," Noel said, according to the transcript reviewed by the news site.She added that she has received threats from strangers and continues to face harassment at her home and workplace."I have received threats from strangers. I have witnessed strangers pontificate about whether I'm a murderer or that I'll end up dead," Noel told lawmakers, according to the news outlet.Blames 'dysfunctional culture' at MCCABC News reported that Noel acknowledged failing to properly perform required inmate checks on the night Epstein died but said her actions reflected longstanding systemic problems within the facility."My responsibility to conduct counts and rounds was improperly executed because of severe understaffing, a lack of adequate training, inadequate communication between management and frontline correctional officers, and other systemic failures," Noel was quoted as saying.She described the failures as part of what she called the "MCC Way," referring to operational practices at the now-shuttered federal jail.Admitted falsifying recordsNoel and another correctional officer were charged in November 2019. Federal prosecutors alleged the officers spent much of their shift at their desks browsing the internet and failed to check inmates in the Special Housing Unit for approximately eight hours before Epstein was discovered unresponsive in his cell.ABC News reported that Noel admitted she submitted paperwork indicating rounds had been completed. However, she insisted the record falsification was unrelated to Epstein's death and was not part of any cover-up.Both Noel and the other officer later entered agreements with prosecutors, and the charges were dismissed in December 2021.Responds to internet search questionsABC News reported that lawmakers questioned Noel about internet searches conducted shortly before Epstein was found dead.Noel told lawmakers she did not specifically recall making the search."Like, if I see it on the homepage, I click on it and read it. But as far as performing a physical search, I don't recall doing that," she reportedly said.Addresses suspicious bank transactionsCommittee members also as per the news outlet questioned Noel about financial transactions that had previously drawn scrutiny.Some conspiracy theories suggested the deposits were connected to Epstein.Noel firmly rejected those allegations."The source of the money that, as I mentioned earlier, has nothing do with Epstein, anyone related to Epstein, involved with Epstein. No one has ever approached, offered, asked. Anything that's concerning my money has nothing to go with Epstein at all. It's solely me and my personal savings," she was qoted as saying.Denies knowledge of surveillance mysteryLawmakers also asked Noel about an unexplained orange flash captured on surveillance footage near Epstein's cell the night before his death.The image has fueled speculation online for years.Noel said she had no idea what caused it."To be very honest, I don't know what it is, who it is. Because I never went back to the tier, and I was never carrying anything orange at all, and I never issued anything orange to anyone in the SHU — not just only Epstein, just anyon
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