AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi will participate in the all-party meeting convened by the central government to discuss the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack. His decision comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally reached out to him via phone and invited him to the high-level discussion.
Addressing the media, Owaisi confirmed that he would make immediate travel arrangements to attend the meeting in Delhi.
"The reason for which the all-party meeting is being held is of national importance. The Home Minister just called me and asked where I was. He has invited me, and I will book the earliest ticket to attend the meeting," Owaisi stated.
Owaisi’s participation follows his earlier demand for the inclusion of smaller political parties—those with fewer than five or ten MPs—in the meeting. He had raised concerns that excluding such voices would diminish the spirit of unity needed to confront terrorism.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Owaisi revealed that he had spoken with Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju regarding the scope of the meeting.
“Regarding the Pahalgam All Party Meeting, I spoke to Kiren Rijiju last night. He said they're thinking of inviting only parties with ‘5 or 10 MPs.’ When I asked why not parties with fewer MPs, he said that the meeting would get ‘too long.’ When I asked, ‘What about us, the smaller parties?’ He joked that my voice is, anyway, too loud,” Owaisi wrote.
Criticising the initial exclusion, Owaisi emphasised that the meeting should reflect a unified national front.
"This is not a BJP meeting or a meeting of any single party—it is an all-party meeting aimed at sending a strong and united message against terrorism and to those nations that support terrorist groups. Can't Prime Minister Narendra Modi spare an extra hour to hear from every elected party?" he asked.
Also read: 'Nat'l grief, but PM in Bihar for poll push': Oppn hits out
He went on to stress that every elected MP, regardless of party size, has a right to participate in matters of national security.
"Your party does not have a majority. Whether it is a party with 1 MP or 100, they were all elected by Indians and deserve to be heard on such an important matter. This is not a political issue; it is a national issue. Everyone must be heard. I urge Narendra Modi to make this a real ALL Party Meeting—every party with an MP in Parliament must be invited," he said.
Owaisi is currently the sole Lok Sabha MP representing the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).
The all-party meeting, scheduled for 6 PM on Thursday at Parliament, is being held in the aftermath of one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. The Pahalgam attack, which occurred on Tuesday, targeted tourists at the Baisaran meadow. Twenty-six people—25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen—were killed, and several others were wounded.
According to official sources, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the meeting. The discussion is expected to focus on national security strategies, intelligence coordination, and the government's response to cross-border terrorism.
Also Read: 'Will pursue them to the ends of the Earth': PM vows payback
Follow us
