Days after Islamists in Pakistan desecrated the ancient Buddhist rock carvings in the Chilas area of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK)’s Gilgit-Baltistan by painting Pakistani flag and slogans, India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the destruction of Indian-Buddhist heritage in the region.

Araib Ali Baig, a resident of the region and story teller, tweeted: "Have such slogans and paintings been made on the Gandhara civilization which is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan from the last three thousand years before Christ or is it just to militarize the civilizations of the disputed region of Gilgit-Baltistan ???"

Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson, the Ministry of External Affairs, said India condemns the defacement and destruction of Indian Buddhist heritage in the Gilgit-Baltistan area of the Indian territory, which is under the illegal and forcible occupation of Pakistan.

“It is a matter of grave concern that Buddhist symbols are being destroyed and the religious and cultural rights and freedoms are being trampled with impunity in the Indian territories under illegal occupation of Pakistan,” MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a statement.

Pakistan and its all-weather ally China's move of building the Diamer-Bhasha Dam in the Gilgit-Baltistan region already has come with a threat of an ecological disaster.

Many Muslims living the region are vocal on social media against the destruction of the cultural heritage that the dam would destroy.

Image: Twitter/@The_North_Blood