All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday, while asking to “fix accountability” in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, said that if the terrorists could reach Pahalgam, they would reach Srinagar too.
Terrorists opened fire at a group of tourists on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir‘s Pahalgam district, killing 26, and injuring several others.
“They came from Pakistan, and Pakistan supports them. How did they cross the border? Who is responsible for it? They could also reach Srinagar if they reached Pahalgam… Justice would only prevail when accountability is fixed… We condemn the terror attack,” Owaisi told ANI.
“A place where there were so many tourists, there was not even one police personnel, or a CRPF camp. The Quick Reaction Team (QRT) took over an hour to reach the spot. And these people shot people after asking about their faith,” he added.
Owaisi calls the attack an ‘intelligence failure’
A day after the deadly attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley, Owaisi demanded that the government punish “terrorists” involved in the killings of innocent tourists in the Pahalgam terrorist attack and said that the incident was an “intelligence failure”.
He stated that the central government must examine whether its deterrence policy on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was working or not. Owaisi said that the killing of tourists was more condemnable than the Uri and Pulwama attacks.
“This is an intelligence failure, too. The government has to analyse whether its deterrence policy is successful. This incident is more condemnable than the Uri and Pulwama attacks. The terrorists targeted civilians this time. It is a massacre. We demand from the government that accountability must be fixed in this matter,” Owaisi said while talking to media in Hyderabad.
Owaisi to attend all-party meet
The AIMIM chief said that he will attend the all-party meeting on the Pahalgam terrorist attack at the parliament after Union Home Minister Amit Shah invited him over a phone call.
“The reason for which the all-party meeting is called is of national importance. The Home Minister just called me and asked where I am. He has asked me to come. I will book the earliest ticket and reach for the all-party meeting (in Delhi),” Owaisi said.
This came after Owaisi urged the government to invite small parties with fewer than five or ten MPs to the all-party meeting on the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The AIMIM Chief said that the PM could spare more time for this issue and hear all views.
Taking to X, Owaisi, said that he had a conversation with Parliamentary Minister Kiren Rijiju regarding an all-party meeting, who said that “they are thinking of inviting only parties with five or ten MPS.” Owaisi added that Rijiju argued that the meeting will take “too long” if everyone is invited.
(With inputs from agencies)