After the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi supported the Indian government’s strong steps against Pakistan. He also agreed with the decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and said this attack was even worse than the earlier terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama.

While talking to reporters after the all-party meeting held in New Delhi, Owaisi said the government should not be afraid to take action against Pakistan, which supports terrorist groups. He praised the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which held a special meeting after the April 22 attack.

“Where will we keep the water?”

One of the big decisions taken by the government was to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. This treaty is an agreement between India and Pakistan over the sharing of river waters.
Owaisi supported this move but also raised an important question:
“It is very good that the Indus Water Treaty has been suspended, but where will we keep the water? We will support whatever decision the central government takes. This is not a political issue,” he said.

Owaisi further explained that under international law, India has the right to defend itself after such attacks.
“The central government can take action against the nation that shelters terrorist groups. The international law also permits us to do an air and naval blockade in self-defence against Pakistan and impose sanctions on arms sales to them,” he said.

Security lapses and targeted killings

Owaisi also showed serious concern about the slow security response during the Pahalgam attack. He questioned why CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) was not present at Baisaran meadow, where the attack took place. He also asked why the quick reaction team took one hour to reach the location.

“They shot people by asking their religion,” he said, calling the killings targeted and communal.

He also condemned any kind of false information being spread against Kashmiris and students from the Valley.
“I condemn the way the terrorists killed people by asking about their religion,” he said, while also requesting that Kashmiris should not be blamed for the attack.

Sources said that during the all-party meeting, even the ruling party admitted that there were security lapses during the attack.
“If nothing had gone wrong, why would we be sitting here? There have been lapses somewhere that we have to find out,” a ruling party leader reportedly said to the Opposition.

Earlier, in Hyderabad, Owaisi said the Pahalgam attack was worse and more painful than the terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama.
“This is also an intelligence failure. We hope the government teaches these terrorists a lesson and ensures justice for the victims’ families,” he had said.

The terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam killed 26 people, including one foreign tourist. It happened at Baisaran meadows during the busy tourist season. A group called The Resistance Front, which is linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, said they were behind the attack.

Many top leaders attended the all-party meeting, including Union Ministers JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, and S. Jaishankar; Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge; and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. In the meeting, all parties agreed to stay united and work together against terrorism.

 

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