AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has sharply accused Pakistan's establishment of deliberately fuelling Hindu-Muslim tension in India, using the Pahalgam terror attack as an illustration. Speaking at a rally in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Shambhajinagar, Owaisi alleged Pakistan's ISI, ISIS sympathisers, and its "deep state" wish to ignite communal conflicts, citing the attack on non-Muslim pilgrims in Kashmir as a part of a pre-planned plan to destabilise India.
Owaisi emphasized that the Pahalgam terrorists targeted their victims on the basis of religion and issued a spine-chilling threat that "no non-Muslim can come here."
He called upon the Indian government to demand that Pakistan be returned to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) "grey list" to monitor terror financing, and advocated strong countermeasures in terms of cyber warfare and a possible naval blockade to contain cross-border terrorism.
His words are an old trend of criticizing Pakistan's activities in developing extremism, such as his earlier condemnation of ISIS and consistent rejection of the Two-Nation Theory. While Owaisi continues to argue against some of the BJP policies in the nation, he has persistently placed his politics within the framework of the Indian constitutional order, underlining the need for national integration in the context of external threat.
The Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 tourists is generating increasing global pressure on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. India has reacted with a combination of diplomatic, economic, and online measures.
The statements of Owaisi point towards an emerging political consensus for isolating Pakistan internationally despite debates in the country on minority rights and anti-terror operations.
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