India Sharply Rejects Pak’s Claims To Indus Valley HeritageIndia-West News DeskNEW DELHI – India on July 28 sharply rejected Pakistan’s recent attempts to link its national identity to the Indus Valley Civilization, arguing that a country accused of promoting cross border terrorism and religious extremism cannot credibly claim the pluralistic heritage of one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Responding to questions about Pakistani leaders describing the Indus Valley Civilization as part of a shared legacy, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan’s record on protecting minorities undermined such claims. The exchange reflects a growing dispute over the legacy of the Indus Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Civilization, which flourished more than 4,000 years ago across parts of present day India and Pakistan. As the dispute over the Indus river system has intensified, Pakistan has increasingly invoked the historical and cultural significance of the Indus region in defending its position. Its recent efforts to highlight the pre Islamic Indus Valley Civilization have emerged alongside the broader political debate surrounding the Indus river and the future of the water sharing agreement between the two countries.