Taking a firm stand, All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has said that “India must continue Operation Sindoor till the four killers of Pahalgam terror attack are eliminated”.

Replying to questions in Rajat Sharma-hosted ‘Aap Ki Adalat’, which telecasted on June 21 on India TV, Owaisi warned, “Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price if it dares to carry out a misadventure again (Agar Pakistan Ne Dobaara Himaaqat Ki Toh Bahut Mehenga Saabit Hoga Is Baar).”

Owaisi said, “If Indian armed forces had wanted, it could have destroyed all the nine Pakistani air bases entirely, but decided to target  the runways only. This was a message to them that it was only a trailer and they should remain careful. Our army gave Pakistan an effective reply and the enemy got the message. That’s why their DGMO rang up our DGMO seeking a cessation of military action.”

According to a press release issued by India TV, the AIMIM leader, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation that visited Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria, said: “Pakistan always peddles lies. Its army indulges in ‘dramebaazi’. Pakistan’s army chief tried to fool its Prime Minister by showing him a fake picture of a Chinese army drill years ago.

“Their Prime Minister posed for a camera while standing on a tank, but tanks were not used at all in this conflict. Only in Poonch, they shelled civilian areas, killing many civilians including the imam of a mosque and twin sisters. Pakistan will never win a war with India. Never in the future, god willing (Insha Allahtala).”

Owaisi said: “Pakistan Prime Minister (Shehbaz Sharif) has himself said that he was swimming, wearing his swimming trunks, when he got news that India had attacked nine air bases. I was asked by a foreign journalist how it happened. I jokingly told him that before offering our namaaz-e-fazr (morning prayers), we chanted Allah O’Akbar and attacked.”

“Pakistan”, Owaisi said, “is a failed state and will continue to remain so. Its army and deep state will continue to pose a danger to India. The Pakistan army is the only one in the world which does business in real estate and hotels… Pakistan army’s only objective is to cover up its misdoings in the guise of defending Islam, but its only aim is to destabilize India by sowing communal tension.”

The AIMIM chief said: “The danger from Pakistan will never subside, so long as its army continues to control the country. It will continue to support terror groups. We must ensure that it must not be successful.”

When Sharma asked Owaisi why US President Donald Trump had invited Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir to lunch in the White House, Owaisi replied: “Asim Munir must tell the people of Pakistan what deal he has struck with Trump. When Trump invited Munir to lunch, he must have requested him to do something on that (Iran-Pak) border for us. He will be forced to dance, and they (US) will make him dance (to their tunes). Nobody gets a free lunch in the White House. It is a known fact that America has access to most of the bases in Pakistan, unlike India, where we do not allow other countries to have access to our bases.”

When I asked about Trump repeatedly claiming that it was he who brokered the India-Pakistan ceasefire by offering trade deals, Owaisi replied: “First of all, I do not think Trump has much knowledge. India has a strategic relationship with the US and Trump ‘bake jaa rahe hain, bake ja rahe hain’(blabbering on and on), our Prime Minister spoke to him for half an hour, and our Foreign Secretary issued his video. Yet, again Trump claimed, he stopped our war by offering trade deals.”

Owaisi said: “Pakistan’s trade with the US is hardly $4 billion, whereas India’s trade with the US is to the tune of $180 billion. If India agrees to a bilateral trade treaty with the US, the target is $500 billion. Do they (US) want $5 billion or $500 billion trade? I think, since there is a crypto connection with Pakistan, that is why he (Trump) is blabbering. As far as the cessation of firing is concerned, my complaint is that it should have been announced by our Prime Minister or our government, instead of the world knowing about this from Trump. It is our government, our country, and we are getting to know about this from the leader of another country.”

Owaisi continued, “If Trump claims he stopped our war, then why is he not stopping the Israeli attacks on Palestine? If he has the power then let him end the Iran-Israel war and Russia-Ukraine war.”