File photo of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi speaking at a public rally

Asaduddin Owaisi took a pot shot at Imran Khan for saying that Pakistan is a nuclear power

Hyderabad: Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday took a jibe at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his veiled threat of his country possessing nuclear bomb amid heightened tension between the two countries. Owaisi said the Pakistan prime minister should tackle terror outfits operating in that country.

“They Pakistan prime minister talks about atom bomb…Don’t we have it? We have it too. What is he talking about,” said Owaisi at addressing a public function in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Owaisi was referring to Imran Khan’s statements over past few days in which he gave a veiled threat that if tension escalates between India and Pakistan, things could go out of control “given the kind of weapons” the two countries have. Imran Khan also referred to the two countries being nuclear powers.

Imran Khan’s statements came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed on February 14. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

However, Pakistan PM appeared to ignore the claim by Jaish and sought proof from India for its hand behind Pulwama attack. Days after Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a strike at a terror camp run by Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistan responded to attack on terror camp by attempting to bomb Indian military installations on Wednesday morning. The attempt was foiled by the Indian Air Force.

On Thursday, Imran Khan addressed a joint sitting of the National Assembly of Pakistan, where he blamed Indian government’s policies for terrorist attack on the CRPF soldiers.

Responding to Imran Khan’s remarks, Asaduddin Owaisi said the Pakistan PM “should first handle Lashkar-e-Shaitaan and Jaish-e-Shaitaan” referring to the terror activities of proscribed outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The two terror groups have long enjoyed the patronage of Pakistan Army and its intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

On Friday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in an interview, admitted that Jaish chief Masood Azhar is in his country. In another interview, he said that the Pakistani government was in touch with Masood Azhar.

Reports from Pakistan on Saturday suggested that Masood Azhar was being treated at a hospital run by Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi. This town of Pakistani Punjab province is also the headquarters of Pakistan Army.