On the day of the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22), another new video surfaced showing terrorists taking over Baisaran Valley. Civilians — including women and children — were seen huddling on the ground, terrified, as distant gunshots echoed. Earlier videos had shown tourists panicking amid gunfire and a local shawl seller carrying an injured tourist to safety.
The Pahalgam attack, in which 26 people were killed (most targeted for being non-Muslims), has been one of the deadliest in recent years. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba shadow group, claimed responsibility. In a strong diplomatic response, India downgraded ties with Pakistan, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani diplomats, closed the Attari-Wagah border, and ordered Pakistani nationals to leave.
Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP, delivered one of the strongest condemnations of Pakistan over the attack. Speaking during an anti-waqf law rally in Parbhani, Maharashtra, Owaisi compared Pakistan’s progress to being "half a century behind India" and called the attackers "successors of ISIS". He slammed Pakistan’s nuclear threats, warning that India’s military strength far surpasses Pakistan's national capacity.
At the same time, some Congress leaders, like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Saifuddin Soz, took a softer line. Aiyar suggested the attack reflected unresolved issues from Partition, while Soz indicated that Pakistan's denial of involvement should be accepted.
Owaisi’s attack on Pakistan, especially at a rally meant to protest domestic waqf issues — deliberately separated Indian Muslims from Pakistan’s narrative. Historically, Owaisi has rejected the Two-Nation Theory (which underpinned Pakistan's creation) and called Partition a mistake, blaming multiple leaders, not just Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Owaisi has consistently positioned himself as a nationalist voice for Indian Muslims, resisting both BJP's Hindutva and Pakistan's propaganda. He has vocally distanced Indian Muslims from Pakistan, criticizing Pakistani leaders like Imran Khan for using India's minority issues for their political agendas. In past speeches, he has labelled Pakistani terror groups "Jaish-e-Shaitan" (Army of the Devil) and "Lashkar-e-Shaitan".
By speaking out now, Owaisi has struck at Pakistan’s communal propaganda, especially targeting Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir, who recently invoked the Two-Nation Theory in a provocative speech before the Pahalgam attack. Owaisi’s strong, religiously grounded condemnation undermines Pakistan’s attempt to communalize Indian society and tarnish India's image internationally.
