US PIOs protest outside UN HQ against Pulwama attack

New York: Braving wintery weather, a large number of Indian-Americans held a protest in front of the United Nations headquarters here against the Pulwama attack and demanded that Pakistan take action against terror groups operating on its soil.

On February 14, a terrorist of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

The protesters from across this city gathered at the UN headquarters on Sunday, holding placards and raising slogans against the terror machinery operating on Pakistani soil and demanded swift action against the JeM and its leader Masood Azhar.

Jagdish Sewhani, President of 'The American India Public Affairs Committee' and one of the organisers of the event, told PTI that Indian-Americans, including professionals and students, were expressing their anger at the "continued state sponsorship of terrorism by Pakistan across the world".

The protestors raised slogans against all major terrorist attacks originating from Pakistan such as the 2008 Mumbai 26/11 attack, the Uri attack and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack among others.

The message to Pakistan is that "enough is enough. This time we will not forgive and we will not forget," Sewhani said.

"Pakistan is still shielding terrorists and is refusing to crack down on them. The Pakistan Army continues to support terrorist outfits such as al-Qaeda, Lakshar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Haqqani network," he said, adding that "time has come to give a befitting reply to Pakistan in a language it understands". Overseas Friends of Bharatiya Janata Party-USA President Krishna Reddy Anugula said the Indian community in the US strongly condemns the "dastardly" attacks.