Asaduddin Owaisi wears black band, distributes them before Friday prayers to condemn Pahalgam terror attack

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] April 25 (ANI): In a symbolic gesture, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi donned a black band on his forearm and distributed similar bands to worshippers ahead of Juma Namaz at Shastripuram Mosque in Hyderabad on Friday.
The act was carried out in condemnation of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed several innocent lives and has sparked nationwide outrage.
On Thursday, after participating in the all-party meeting called by the government in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Owaisi called for stringent action against Pakistan and appreciated the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. He lauded the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security on Wednesday.
"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.
"The central government can take action against the nation which shelters the terrorist groups. The international law also permits us to do an air and naval blockade in self-defence against Pakistan and impose sanctions on Pakistan on arms sales. Why was the CRPF not deployed at the Baisaran meadow?... Why did the quick reaction team take one hour to reach there and they shot people by asking their religion," he asked.
He said "false propaganda" against the Kashmiris and Kashmiri students should be stopped..." I condemn the way the terrorists killed people by asking about their religion...," he said.
Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured, in one of the deadliest attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.
In the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari Check Post.
India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week. The country further decided to cancel any visas provided under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistan to leave the country within 48 hours.
The Government of India has also decided to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will stand revoked, effective from 27 April 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release.
After the Indian government shut the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab Police Protocol Officer Arun Mahal confirmed that while the iconic gates remained shut, ceremonies were conducted separately on either side of the border.
Speaking to ANI, Mahal mentioned that 28 Pakistani nationals returned home, while 105 Indian citizens crossed back into India. "The government of India has taken very strict decisions. The gates at the Attari-Wagah integrated check post were not opened, and the parade was done in the respective areas. A total of 28 Pakistani nationals left for Pakistan from the Attari border, and 105 Indian nationals have returned from Pakistan. There has been an impact on the number of tourists," the officer said. (ANI)