Kuwait City: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has launched a blistering attack on Pakistan, targeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir over a doctored image presented as evidence of a supposed military victory. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Kuwait, Owaisi ridiculed Pakistan’s attempt to pass off a 2019 Chinese military drill as its own, calling the move both laughable and deceptive.
“Yesterday, the Pakistani Army chief gifted a photo to the Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif… these stupid jokers want to compete with India, they had given a photograph of a 2019 Chinese Army drill claiming it is a victory over India. This is what Pakistan indulges in… ‘Nakal karne ke liye akal chahiye… inke pass akal bhi nahi hai’… whatever Pakistan is saying, do not take even with a pinch of salt,” Owaisi said.
The controversial image, presented to Sharif by the Pakistani military leadership, was claimed to depict the success of ‘Operation Bunyan’—a fabricated operation supposedly representing a triumph over India. However, open-source analysis quickly revealed the photo was lifted from a Chinese Army exercise held in 2019.
Owaisi’s comments come amid heightened tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians, most of them tourists, were gunned down. Pakistan-based groups were alleged to be behind the incident, prompting fresh criticism of Islamabad’s support for terrorism.
Calls for Pakistan’s Return to FATF Grey List
Owaisi further advocated for Pakistan’s re-entry onto the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, emphasizing the country’s financial role in supporting terrorism.
“Pakistan must be brought back on the FATF grey list. The importance of the FATF grey list is that there will be huge scrutiny on that nation when you do money transactions,” he stated.
Also Read | ‘We Should Have Listened to Patel’: Modi Blames Partition for Kashmir Terrorism
He accused Pakistan of abusing financial channels, particularly hawala networks in the Middle East, to fund militant operations.
“It is a fact that Pakistan uses the Middle East hawala or money laundering to sponsor terror groups against India… bringing Pakistan in FATF is very important because… the 2 billion loan which the IMF is giving will be used by the Pakistani military,” Owaisi said.
India Denounces Pakistan’s Misinformation Campaign
During the conflict, Pakistan’s propaganda machine ramped up false narratives, including claims of successfully destroying India’s S-400 air defence system and attacking Indian airfields. These were categorically denied by Indian authorities.
Also Read | Iran Stays Neutral as Pakistan Seeks Support Over India Tensions
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh addressed the issue during an Operation Sindoor press briefing, stating:
“Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system, destruction of airfields at Surat and Sirsa… India unequivocally rejects these false claims being spread by Pakistan.”
The misinformation efforts, combined with the use of falsified images and unverifiable military claims, have renewed calls for tighter international scrutiny of Pakistan’s strategic behavior, both in media and finance.
