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Why Owaisi's party leader won’t watch Asia Cup India vs Pakistan match: ‘Entire world knows…’
The AIMIM leader said, “We even banned Pakistan celebrities and influencers, then why is our country playing against their team?”
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) spokesperson Waris Pathan spoke strongly against the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, and called for a boycott of the cricket match between India and Pakistan, saying it is inappropriate to play after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
He asserted that no explanation can justify playing a cricket match against Pakistan. Pathan also criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for proceeding with the fixture.
“The entire world knows Pakistan supports terror activities, and our country has faced it. We saw 26/11, Pulwama, Pahalgam, where terrorists killed people on the basis of religion, and we wiped away our sisters' Sindoor. India retaliated in the form of Op Sindoor, launching strikes on a terror basis within Pakistan. Delegation from India propagated across the world how Pakistan supports terrorism and should be listed in FATF,” Pathan told neas agency ANI.
Highlighting India's retaliatory measures of halting trade and water supplies to Pakistan, the AIMIM leader said, "We even banned their celebrities and influencers, then why is our country playing against their team? How will we answer the victims of Pahalgam? India should boycott this match, and this should not happen. I will not watch the match,” he added.
The comments came after the Supreme Court on Thursday declined to urgently list a plea seeking an interim stay on the cricket match, which is scheduled in Dubai on September 14.
While rejecting the request, a bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi stated that the match should go on.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner had requested urgent hearing, citing the match date, but the Court refused.
Shiv Sena (UBT) announces protests
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) has announced it will protest against the India-Pakistan match. Party leader Sanjay Raut called the decision to play the match an act of “treason” and “shamelessness.” He said the party’s women’s wing will launch a ‘Sindoor Raksha Abhiyan’ campaign, with women taking to the streets to express their outrage.
(With ANI inputs)
