Owaisi backs Indus Waters Treaty suspension, calls for stronger action against Pakistan
Updated: Apr 25th, 2025
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has reportedly supported the Indian government’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 28 people dead, including one Nepali national.
Speaking after an all-party meeting convened in the wake of the attack, Owaisi welcomed the Cabinet Committee on Security’s response, particularly the suspension of the decades-old water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan. He reportedly stated that while it was a significant move, questions remained on how the water resources would be managed domestically.
Owaisi is also said to have urged the government to consider all available international measures to hold Pakistan accountable for harbouring terrorist groups. As per reports, he referenced potential options such as an air or naval blockade and the imposition of sanctions related to arms sales—actions he claimed are permitted under international law in self-defence.
He questioned the security response during the Pahalgam attack, asking why the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was not deployed in the area and why it reportedly took over an hour for a quick reaction team to respond. Owaisi also condemned the way attackers allegedly targeted victims based on their religion.
The AIMIM leader further appealed for restraint against Kashmiris and Kashmiri students, urging the public not to fall for “false propaganda” in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The government’s high-level meeting was attended by key figures including Union Ministers JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju and S Jaishankar, along with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The terror attack on April 22 in Baisaran meadow, Pahalgam, saw gunmen open fire on tourists, marking one of the most brutal incidents in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. Authorities have attributed the assault to cross-border terrorist groups, with the Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, suspected of orchestrating the massacre.
Owaisi, speaking on the history of the treaty, said, “Pakistan has been violating this for years.”
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