Hyderabad: Muslims in Hyderabad staged protests after Friday prayers to condemn the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Responding to a call by AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, worshippers wore black armbands as a mark of mourning and solidarity.
Owaisi himself wore a black band during prayers at a mosque in Shastripuram and distributed them to fellow worshippers. AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi also participated, offering Friday prayers at Owaisi Hospital and Research Centre while wearing a black armband.
At the historic Makka Masjid, hundreds gathered after prayers, chanting slogans like “Pakistan Murdabad” and “Hindustan Zindabad.” Volunteers tied black bands on worshippers at several mosques across the city.
Owaisi urged Muslims and justice-loving citizens to wear black bands to send a message that India’s unity and integrity would not be compromised. He warned against letting the attack fuel divisions or hatred, particularly against Kashmiris.
A day earlier, Owaisi attended an all-party meeting in Delhi, where he blamed the attack on an intelligence failure and urged the central government to review its deterrence policy. He called the incident more condemnable than the Uri and Pulwama attacks, stating it aimed to harm Kashmir’s tourism sector.
The AIMIM also organised a candlelight march in Hyderabad on Thursday, led by Nampally MLA Mohammed Majid Hussain, with participants from various communities raising slogans against Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Taiba. A similar protest was held in Malakpet, led by AIMIM MLA Ahmed Balala.
