All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi, in the early hours of Sunday, launched a fierce attack on Pakistan over its continued endorsement of cross-border terrorism, calling it a “failed state” and warning that India will respond to any future provocations with unmatched intensity.
Owaisi, part of the multi-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, currently visiting Bahrain, said India has lost too many innocent lives to terrorism emanating from Pakistan and urged the global community to help isolate Islamabad financially.
“Our government has sent us over here so that the world knows the threat India has been facing since the last so many years. Unfortunately, we have lost so many innocent lives. This problem emanates from Pakistan only. Unless and until Pakistan stops promoting, aiding and sponsoring these terrorist groups, this problem won’t go away,” Owaisi said during an interaction with prominent leaders and figures in Manama.
The AIMIM Chief was referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. According to Owaisi, the attackers asked for the religion of their victims before executing them, a tactic reminiscent of ISIS brutality.
“These terrorist organisations have justified the killings of innocent people in India and have quoted Quranic verses out of context… We have to put an end to it. They have used religion to justify the killing of people. Islam condemns terrorism and the Quran has categorically stated that the killing of one innocent person is like killing the whole of humankind.”
Owaisi, drawing parallels between Pakistani-backed terrorists and the Islamic State, said, “There is no difference between these Pakistani terrorists and ISIS in Syria.”
The AIMIM chief affirmed the Indian government’s commitment to national security and warned of serious consequences if Pakistan engages in another act of terror.
“Our government has taken all the steps to protect the lives of every Indian. This government has made it very clear....next time you [Pakistan] take up this misadventure, it will be beyond what they are expecting.”
He also highlighted the resilience and strategic strength of India’s defence capabilities.
“India has all the wherewithal, and we have every means necessary to ensure the safety of not only Indian citizens but also every individual residing in India. Our air defence systems, our technology and warfare capabilities successfully intercepted and neutralised everything that was launched by a failed state like Pakistan.”
Furthermore, Owaisi urged Bahrain to assist in bringing Pakistan back to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, citing Islamabad's use of financial aid to fund terror networks.
“There is unanimity in our country, irrespective of whatever political affiliations we belong to. We have our political differences, but when it comes to the integrity of our country, it is high time our neighbouring country understands... I request and hope that the Bahrain government will help us in bringing Pakistan back to the grey list of FATF because this money has been used to support those terrorists.”
He also underlined the human toll of terrorism, recounting harrowing incidents from the Pahalgam attack.
“Please reflect on the human tragedy of this massacre. A woman who married six days ago became a widow on the seventh day. Another woman, married just two months ago, also lost her husband in this attack," he said, stressing on the human toll such heinous acts have had.
The all-party delegation, including BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Phangnon Konyak, NJP MP Rekha Sharma, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and Ambassador Harsh Shringla, has been tasked with briefing leaders in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria.
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New Delhi's latest initiative is aimed at countering global misinformation about India’s actions in Jammu and Kashmir, underlining its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and bringing to the spotlight Islamabad's role in endorsing such heinous acts.
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