Amid rising tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbors, Pakistani-American leader Anila Ali called for cooperation between India and Pakistan on Newsmax Saturday to ensure justice after a brutal attack killed 26 Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir.
Following the April 22 massacre of 26 men in India's Jammu and Kashmir region, Anila Ali, a prominent Pakistani-American advocate and interfaith leader, urged cooperation between India and Pakistan to ensure justice and avoid further escalation.
Ali, chair of the International Research Force Roundtable for Pakistan and CEO of the American Muslim and Multifaith Women's Empowerment Council, appeared on "Wake Up America Weekend," where she strongly condemned the attack.
"I unequivocally stand with the Indian people as their innocent were massacred in Kashmir," Ali said. "It is a tragedy."
The killings marked the worst violence targeting tourists in the contested region since an insurgency began in 1989. Most victims were Hindu. According to local reports, the gunmen forced their victims to reveal their names and prove their faith before executing them.
Ali expressed concern over global indifference. "There is selective outrage," she said. "You know, the Jews, they're not even embraced by the Sunnis, the Shias. Nobody wants to claim them. Nobody wants to talk about them."
"And we knew at the beginning of this, you know, what was happening in Syria that the communities that are going to be targeted are going to be the minorities, and Jews being at the top of it when it comes to Kashmir and India," she added.
She warned that India and Pakistan, long-time rivals since their 1947 partition, remain volatile. "These are two nuclear states," Ali said. "They have been at each other's throats since the inception of both the countries."
Citing President Donald Trump's efforts to defuse past hostilities between the two countries, Ali said, "I actually commend him for kind of, you know, de-escalating and making sure that India and Pakistan understand that ... finger-pointing without evidence is not going to get anywhere."
Ali added that India may have overestimated the international response following the massacre. "The world was very slow to respond. And I think that is where India miscalculated. They thought the world would come forward," she said. "But we all know that right now ... there's one evil in the world, and it's Israel. And whenever there's no news, and there's no Israel, there's no news."
Despite the political and religious sensitivities involved, Ali stressed the importance of diplomacy.
"The number one thing I say is that you have to be restrained," she said, praising Vice President J.D. Vance's approach. "He said it really carefully, and he was so measured in his response, saying, 'I have Indian friends and Pakistani friends, and they have to talk it out. They have to work it out.'"
Ali concluded with a direct message to Pakistani leadership: "Pakistan has to cooperate with India to make sure, you know, justice prevails."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com