- AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was questioned about what he would do if he were the PM during Pahalgam attack
- Owaisi dismissed the question, saying he "only deals with reality"
- Owaisi, however, questioned why India stopped giving a response to Pakistan
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday brushed off a question about a hypothetical situation where he was the Prime Minister during the Pahalgam terror attack, saying he only "deals with reality".
During a press conference, a reporter asked Owaisi what he would have done if he were the PM during the April 22 terror attack. To this, the AIMIM chief said, "Mere bhai, ye khwab dekhne ka mujhe shaukh nahi (my brother, I do not dream about these things). I deal with reality and know the extent of my reach. Our aim is not just to sit in power or become ministers."
He, however, questioned why India stopped giving a response to Pakistan - referring to the truce between the two countries.
"As an Indian national, I must say, after Pahalgam, we had a real opportunity to give a strong response. Why did it stop? I don't know, truly, I don't know why it stopped...It was a war-like situation. Suddenly, operations halted. Why stop when the entire country was ready to deliver a decisive response? Now, you sit in Parliament and speak about gaining PoK," he said.
Twenty-six people, including one Nepali national, were killed, and many others were injured as multiple terrorists descended on Baisaran Valley, known as "Mini Switzerland" - a tourist hotspot with rolling hills and verdant orchards - and opened fire on April 22 this year. According to eyewitnesses, as the gunshots rang out, there was panic among the tourists who ran for cover. However, there was no place for them to hide in the wide, open space.
In a move to avenge the deadly attack, India, under its Operation Sindoor, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. India also took strict action against Pakistan by suspending the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty indefinitely and sending all Pakistani nationals back. Pakistan then escalated the situation by attacking civilian areas in India with drones.
On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea, with immediate effect.
