India condemns defacement of Buddhist heritage in Gilgit-Baltistan

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday expressed its strong concern over the reports of defacement and destruction of Buddhist heritage in Gilgit-Baltistan and said that religious and cultural rights were being trampled with impunity in Pakistan.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said "egregious activities" of this nature displaying contempt for the ancient civilisational and cultural heritage are "highly condemnable".
Condemning the defacement of Buddhist archaeological sites in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, he said that India has conveyed its concern at the reports of destruction of invaluable Indian Buddhist heritage in Gilgit-Baltistan area.
"It is a matter of grave concern that the Buddhist symbols are being destroyed, religious and cultural rights, and freedoms are being trampled with impunity in the Indian territories under illegal occupation of Pakistan. Egregious activities of this nature which display contempt for the ancient civilizational and cultural heritage are highly condemnable," the MEA spokesperson said.
Srivastava said that India has sought immediate access for its experts to the area in order to restore and preserve the invaluable archaeological heritage.
He said Pakistan must vacate the illegally occupied territory which belonged to India.
"We have once again called upon Pakistan to immediately vacate all illegally occupied territories and end gross violation of political, economic and cultural rights of people living there,” he further added.