Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], April 28 (ANI): Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, strongly condemned the cross-border terror attack in Pahalgam, highlighting that 'for the first time in 50 years, the people of Kashmir are openly chanting slogans against Pakistan.'

He said that for the first time in years, the Kashmiri people have taken to the streets to 'protest against Pakistan.'

He made these remarks while praising Prime Minister Modi, who in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address on Sunday, assured that the perpetrators and conspirators of the Pahalgam attack would be met with the 'harshest' response.

Speaking to ANI, Chishty said, 'This terrorist act deeply saddens the people of Kashmir. Their hearts are also heavy with grief. Such heinous acts have caused disruption--people will lose jobs, tourism will be affected, and the terrorists have essentially tried to kick everyone in the stomach, economically. The terrorists are backed by people sitting in Pakistan, but they should realise that for the first time in 50 years, the people of Kashmir are openly chanting slogans against Pakistan. That is a very positive sign. This is the United India; today, the entire country stands together. And we want action against the terrorists sitting in Pakistan.'

On Sunday, while addressing the 121st episode of Mann ki Baat, PM Modi stated, 'The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done. The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will be served with the harshest response.'

Chishty said that people have 'full faith in the Indian Armed Forces' and that the government.

'We can only imagine the pain Prime Minister Modi is going through. He only wants to see the country happy and prosperous. He wants to see the country in a certain condition, strong and progressing, but some people with evil, terrorist mindsets committed this act, and the whole nation is angry because of it. The whole nation is angry about the cowardly act of the terrorists. People want the government to take revenge, and the Prime Minister reiterated his resolve to ensure justice.

'As the Prime Minister said today in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address, revenge will be taken. Innocent lives were taken without cause, and justice will be served. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the families of the victims that justice will be delivered and that the culprits will receive the strictest punishment. We have full faith in the Indian Armed Forces and in the government representing India. The entire nation stands with the government,' Chishty said.

He added that terrorists and their 'masters' were working to derail Kashmir, which, after the abrogation of Article 370, was 'integrating with the mainstream of India.'

He said, 'The Prime Minister has made a big statement that peace was returning to Kashmir, but this was not acceptable to the enemies of the country and Jammu & Kashmir. Terrorists and their masters want to see Kashmir destroyed again. This is a very important issue. Ever since Article 370 was revoked, Kashmir has been integrating with the mainstream of India. As India progressed, the people of Kashmir were progressing too--they wanted development.

'Development was happening in Kashmir, people were getting jobs, businesses were coming in, and tourism was increasing. Even today, tourists continue to visit there. But these developments were not tolerable to those terrorists and their masters sitting in another country, Pakistan. So this was a conspiracy to stop the development of Kashmir. It was a conspiracy to halt the progress of the Kashmiri people,' he added.

Responding to threats from across the border, Chishty criticised Pakistan's political and military rhetoric, saying that their ministers 'should ensure their weapons are even functional'.

'Pakistan's Railway Minister and others have issued threats that if water is stopped, India should be ready for war. They talk about missiles like Ghauri and Ghaznavi, and that they have 130 nuclear weapons. First of all, their ministers and army should ensure their weapons are even functional, because they've never been useful in any real scenario so far. And they should not forget, India has double the amount of weapons, and they are not just for display. If war breaks out, they will get a strong and equal response--and they won't even get the chance to use their rusty old weapons. Those issuing threats are fools.'

Chishty expressed optimism and confidence in India's future and made a bold statement about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), remarking that India 'will celebrate both Eid and Diwali' in PoK.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 in which 26 people including a Nepali national were killed, India has taken strong steps against Pakistan for fomenting cross-border terrorism.

The government said that the terrorists responsible for the attack and their conspirators will face strict punishment. (ANI)