New Delhi

India on Wednesday described as "deeply distressing" the reported demolition of an old gurdwara in Pakistan and said it strongly condemns this "highly deplorable" and "targeted act of vandalism", even as it called upon Islamabad to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The statement from the Ministry of External Affairs came in response to media queries on reports on the alleged demolition.

"We have seen the deeply distressing reports regarding the demolition of the historic 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan. We strongly condemn this highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine," the MEA said.

India also called upon the government of Pakistan to "expeditiously investigate" this matter and "bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice".

"The demolished portions of the Gurdwara Sahib should be restored and reconstructed at the earliest," the statement said.

The MEA said "its destruction, along with reports of no meaningful action being taken by local authorities or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is a matter of grave concern".

It flagged that this is "unfortunately not an isolated incident, as we have also seen similar reports earlier".

"The systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship in Pakistan continues unabated," the MEA said.

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Further, the MEA in its statement urged the government of Pakistan to "discharge its obligations to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its minority communities and their places of worship, and put a decisive end to the prevailing environment of sectarian violence and religious intolerance in Pakistan".