In a recent editorial, the country’s most reputed English-language newspaper rightly drew attention to rising hostility against Christians in India. It referred to attacks on Christmas symbols, intimidation around churches, and the emboldening of extremist mobs. Much of this concern is valid and necessary. But one sentence in the editorial quietly exposes how even principled commentary can slip into analytical looseness.

Referring to violence against Christians, the editorial states:

“The most recent such episode occurred in Manipur, during an ethno-religious conflict between two local communities, in which hundreds of churches were reportedly torched.”

This line carries significant weight — and it deserves closer scrutiny.

The destruction of churches in Manipur did indeed occur, and on a devastating scale. However, that episode began in May 2023, nearly two years ago. It is “recent” only in a rhetorical sense. For readers encountering the line in the context of “incidents over the past few days leading up to Christmas”, the phrase reasonably implies currency, not historical reference.

Here, the editorial’s approach diverges sharply from Pakistan’s own official diplomatic communication on the same issue. The Foreign Office, in its statement, condemned the “recent condemnable incidents of vandalism during Christmas” and spoke of “state-sponsored campaigns”. It strategically anchored its condemnation in the immediate timeline of Christmas 2025. Notably, it made no mention of Manipur.

The contrast is........

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