Indian officials have said they reject “unwarranted comments” from Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari who condemned the threat of demolition to nearly a 1,000-year-old mosque in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi.

Mr Zardari on Saturday said he was deeply concerned over the threats of demolition and a legal notice served to the historic mosque Masjid Ganj Shaheeda and called on India to stop such actions.

Indian authorities in the northern city of Varanasi have launched an anti-encroachment drive under which it has razed hundreds of houses and structures, including temples and mosques, to widen roads.

Earlier this month, a notice appeared on the wall of the prominent mosque near the Kashi railway station on 12 June, terming the religious building as an “illegal construction on railway land”. It further warned the officials of the mosque committee that if the mosque is not removed from the location, it will be demolished.

However, the notice did not carry any official stamp or signature, raising concerns over its authenticity.

“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,” the office of the Pakistani president wrote in a post on X on Saturday.

It added: “He called for an immediate halt to such actions and urged the protection of minority rights and shared cultural heritage.”

However, the remarks were immediately rebuked by the Indian ministry of external affairs (MEA) who said Islamabad has no locus standi to speak on India’s internal matters.

“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,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

He added that Pakistan itself carries an “abysmal” human rights record.

“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 victimising minorities across various faiths is notorious,” the spokesperson said.

“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 MEA spokesperson said.