AIMIM president and MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi has firmly rejected the remark made by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman and ex-Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at the United Nations, where Bilawal encouraged the cooperation between India and Pakistan's intelligence agencies.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Owaisi reminded Bilawal Bhutto of the days of intelligence discussions between the two nations after the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the Pathankot terror attack.
Bilawal, head of a high-level delegation to the United States currently as part of Pakistan's diplomacy following its recent conflict with India, had made the suggestion that coordination between the two countries' intelligence agencies might contribute significantly towards curbing terrorism in South Asia.
Owaisi hit back, "What did you do after 26/11 and Pathankot? You rewarded and protected every terrorist and gave (Zakiur Rehman) Lakhvi a chance to be the father of a son while sitting in prison."
He also reminded Bilawal that his own mother, Benazir Bhutto, was a victim of terrorism.
"The very same UN where he addressed sent an inquiry team with representatives from different nations to Pakistan and they reported the Pakistan investigation into her murder as sub-standard," Owaisi said.
"Do some self-introspection. You do not know the organisation that murdered your mother, and you are accusing fingers at India. This is idiotic," he added.
On the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire discussions, Owaisi pointed out Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) talked to India's DGMO.
"Our DGMO would have accepted it after consulting the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and political leadership should have informed the nation that Pakistan's DGMO has spoken, and we are halting the firing. Instead of them, US President Donald Trump informed the nation. Who is he?" he questioned.
Owaisi, a part of a BJP MP Baijayant Panda-led delegation to four Gulf nations, said that the delegation tried to project India's point of view and concern regarding Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
According to him, the delegation briefed the leadership about the terror attack in Pahalgam, pointing out that terrorists who carried it out had infiltrated from Pakistan.
The MP also exposed that they pointed out to Gulf leaders that the Resistance Front (TRF)—which took responsibility for Pahalgam attack—is a new name of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India has approached the UN Sanctions Committee 1267 in December 2023, and in May and June 2024, with a request to give terrorist organization status to TRF.
Owaisi also revealed that two of the four emails taking responsibility for the attack on Pahalgam came from regions near Pakistan's army cantonment.
Speaking to ANI, he explained, "The head of certain nations inquired, why do you not speak? We referred to the fact that we spoke after 26/11, but nothing came of it."
The Hyderabad MP condemned the Modi government's strategy after Pathankot, saying that calling ISI for dialogue was an error that did not yield any outcomes.
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