Facing criticism over his remarks on Babri mosque issue, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik today said he never tried to equate the demolition of the shrine with 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
"There is no comparison, whatsoever, between Babri mosque demolition and 26/11 attacks. Babri mosque was actually ethnic. It was a sectarian strife," Rehman said, adding that his remark should not be taken "in a negative way".
The Pakistani leader, who is on a three-day visit, said he had no intention to interfere in the inter-faith matter as he was fully aware of such issues.
"Pakistan itself is a victim of inter-faith clashes, sectarian strife. There have been Shia-Sunni clashes in Pakistan. My intention was not to create confusion but sound caution to the both countries," he said.
Malik said he was not a person who would interfere in somebody's religion or inter-faith matters but a person who goes out and leads on issues of communal harmony.
"So I said like the incidents of 9/11, people dying in Quetta, our Shia and Sunni people are being killed in Karachi. I (had) also said incidents like Mumbai blasts, Babri Masjid case, I am repeating it here and please do not take it in a negative way, we do not want that these things should happen in any region of India and Pakistan," he said on the sidelines of a function here.
The Pakistani Minister had yesterday stoked a controversy by equating the Babri Masjid demolition incident with the Mumbai terror attack.
Malik said religious violence often leads to extremism and every efforts should be made to check it.
"We should take every step which can bring harmony. We could take all (pro-national) measures forward. So that the extremists, terrorists, our enemy, our hostile elements, they do not get any chance (to act against us). So both the nations should work together for it.
"I do not want to hurt any one. So I would like to tell that whatever our issues are, PM has also raised them, we will resolve them jointly. We should work in all spheres to root out terrorism from this region (India and Pakistan)," he said.
The 16th century Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992 which triggered communal frenzy in the country, mainly in Mumbai, leaving many people dead.
"We do not want any 9/11. We do not want any Bombay blasts, we do not want any Samjhauta Express, we do not want any Babri mosque issue and we can work together not only for peace in Pakistan and India but also for the region," Malik had yesterday said here.
He said extremism is on rise in both the regions and steps should be taken to check it.