ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s lower and upper houses of parliament on Monday passed unanimous resolutions condemning anti-Islam statements by leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party and calling on the international community to take notice of the situation in the neighboring South Asian country.

Two BJP spokespersons, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, made derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) last week, generating diplomatic backlash from various Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran.

The BJP took action against both leaders but the outcry surrounding the remarks has not died down.

“[Pakistani] houses of parliament unanimously passed resolutions condemning the BJP leaders’ remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH),” the Dawn newspaper reported. “In the Senate, the chairman remarked that the resolution would be sent to the UN secretary general and a protest would be registered with him over the matter.”

“The resolution passed in the National Assembly demanded the Indian government take strict action against the offending BJP leaders and ensure that such remarks should not be repeated,” it added. “It also urged the international community to take notice of India’s anti-Muslim policy.”

Pakistan’s foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood brought the attention of the international community to the recent development on Monday, the Associated Press of Pakistan news agency reported, describing it as part of the “rising tide of Islamophobia in India.”

The country’s armed forces also issued a brief statement on Twitter calling the remarks an example of the “extreme level of hate against Muslims and other religions in India.” The prime minister has also condemned the remarks while the foreign office issued a demarche to the Indian charge d’affaires.

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