Amid continuous warmongering and mindless rhetoric from some Pakistani leaders in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at the neighboring country, warning it of retaliation.

Asaduddin is the third national president of the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party in India, previously his father and grandfather. AIMIM is a minority party. Asaduddin made his political debut in 1994 in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.

Owaisi suggested that Pakistan or its leaders should not show any eagerness to enter a military conflict with India or threaten a nuclear war, saying that it cannot match India's military or economic prowess.

"They (Pakistan) are not half-an-hour, but half-a century behind India. Our military budget is bigger than your national budget. Pakistani leaders should not threaten India of a nuclear war. They should remember that if they kill innocent people in another country, no one will remain silent," Owaisi asserted.

The AIMIM Lok Sabha MP's remarks came after Pakistani Minister Hanif Abbasi openly threatened India with nuclear retaliation, warning that Pakistan's arsenal - including Ghori, Shaheen, and Ghaznavi missiles along with 130 nuclear warheads - has been kept "only for India".

Earlier, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif threatened an "all-out" war if India retaliated militarily to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have peaked in recent days, with the former suspending the key Indus Waters Treaty, revoking Pakistani nationals' visas and significantly downgrading diplomatic relations in retaliation to the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Following India's step regarding the Indus Treaty, several Pakistani leaders have threatened India with dire consequences, not ruling out the possibility of a nuclear war.

At least 26 people were killed when terrorists of The Resistance Front (TRF) an affiliate of Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), opened fire at tourists in Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam on April 22.

Two days after the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 dead and several others injured, Owaisi took to social media to appeal to the Muslims to wear a black band on their arms during the Friday namaz.

In his address, he said, “You all know how in Pahalgam, Kashmir, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists killed the people of our nation. Several are injured and are fighting for their lives. Against this act of terrorism and injustice, I request you all that tomorrow (Friday) when you head to the mosques for the jumma namaz, wear a black band on your arm and go.”

Owaisi also had a word of advice for India’s present government, stressing that while Kashmir is indeed an integral part of India, Kashmiri people should also be embraced as our own people.

"I would also like to say to our Prime Minister that, just like Kashmir is an integral part of India, so are Kashmiri people," Owaisi said.

Owaisi's Kashmir remark seemed to be targeted at a section of people, showing Kashmiri people in a bad light with reference to the Pahalgam attack, suggesting that it might have been carried out in connivance with local people.

Owaisi has been known for his assertive and vocal stance on the issues concerning Muslims in India, advocating for their rights, representation, and socio-economic empowerment. By fielding AIMIM candidates in constituencies with sizable Muslim populations, he aims to provide an alternative to traditional secular parties and establish his party as the voice of Muslims at the national level. Owaisi's primary target seems to be states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where Muslim voters have traditionally supported regional or national secular parties.

Owaisi has been critical of other political parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, accusing them of taking Muslim votes for granted without delivering substantial benefits to the community. By positioning himself as a champion of Muslim rights, he hopes to mobilize the Muslim electorate in his favour in the upcoming elections. Furthermore, Owaisi has been focusing on building alliances and partnerships with like-minded regional parties and social activists who share a similar vision of inclusive politics.