NEW DELHI, June 2 – Indian opposition lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday accused Pakistan-based terrorist groups of sharing ideological roots with global jihadist outfits such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, calling for Pakistan’s return to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
Speaking during an all-party delegation visit to Algeria, Owaisi, who heads the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), said Pakistan had become the “epicentre of Takfirism,” a term referring to extremist ideologies that justify the killing of others on religious grounds.
“There is no difference in ideology between the terrorist groups in Pakistan and Daesh (ISIS) or Al-Qaeda. They believe they have a religious sanction, which is completely wrong,” Owaisi said. “Islam does not allow the killing of any person, and unfortunately, that is their ideology.”
Owaisi reiterated his demand that Pakistan be placed back on the FATF grey list, a global watchlist for countries with deficiencies in combating money laundering and terrorism financing.
“Terrorism survives on two things – ideology and money,” he said, adding that tighter financial scrutiny could help reduce terror activity in India.
Owaisi also referenced Algeria’s own experience with Islamist extremism, noting that the country faced its own “Black Decade” of violence in the 1990s.
Pakistan was removed from the FATF grey list in October 2022 after committing to several financial and anti-terror measures. However, India has continued to press for greater international scrutiny, accusing Islamabad of sheltering groups that carry out attacks on Indian soil – a charge Pakistan denies.
