Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday strongly criticised former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi for his comments on the recent Pahalgam terror attack, labelling him a “joker”.
Afridi had accused India of orchestrating the April 22 attack, suggesting that India engages in terrorism and blames Pakistan. Responding to these claims, Owaisi dismissed Afridi’s comments outright. “Who is he? Don’t even mention such jokers in front of me,” the Hyderabad MP said at a public event.
The Pahalgam terror attack, one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama incident, resulted in the deaths of 26 people. In response, Owaisi urged the international community to take firm action against Pakistan, demanding its reinstatement on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
“Pakistan is financing terrorism using illegal funds. It is imperative that the country be placed back on the FATF grey list,” he said, citing provisions under international law that permit defensive measures, including potential naval and air blockades. He also referenced Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognises a nation’s right to self-defence, and Article 355 of the Indian Constitution, which mandates the Union government to protect states from external aggression.
Pakistan was previously on the FATF grey list from June 2018 until October 2022 for failing to meet anti-terror funding and money laundering standards. The FATF is a global watchdog that monitors countries’ compliance with financial regulations to combat illicit funding activities.
India has since taken a hard line following the Pahalgam incident, including suspending elements of the Indus Water Treaty, in protest against Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism.
