India has expressed concerns to Pak over vandalistaion of Buddha statue: MEA

India has expressed its concerns to Pakistan regarding the recent vandalisation of the ancient Buddha statue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ministry of External Affairs' spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday.

In a weekly briefing, Srivastava said New Delhi has conveyed its expectations that Islamabad would ensure safety, security and well being of minorities there and protect their cultural heritage.

Recently a video went viral showing men breaking the statue with a sledgehammer, parts of which were still embedded underground even as others can be seen looking on as the statue is being destroyed. The incident is of July 18 when a Gandhara style Buddha statue was found during the excavation of one of the houses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Srivastava said that four Pakist citizens broke the statue at the behest of a religious cleric who told them that their faith will be renounced if they don't dismantle statue.

"It's been widely condemned and widespread concern has been expressed by a cross-section of people in our country. We have expressed concerns to Pakistan and conveyed our expectations that they would ensure safety, security and well being of minorities there and protect their cultural heritage," the ministry spokesperson said.

( With inputs from ANI )