Who is Pakistani senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, who made controversial ‘Babri' remark?

First Post

01-05-2025

As New Delhi-Islamabad tensions heighten following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan's provocative remarks on India have gone viral, sparking widespread outrage. The Pakistan Peoples Party legislator declared that the first brick of the new Babri mosque in Ayodhya would be laid by her country's armed forces, and army chief Asim Munir will recite the first Azaan read more
Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan is a Pakistani politician currently associated with the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Image courtesy: X
As tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad continue to mount in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, some Pakistani lawmakers appear determined to further stoke the fire.
A video of Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan is now circulating widely on social media, capturing her delivering a fiery and provocative speech in Pakistan's Upper House. In the clip, she boldly declares that the first brick of the new Babri mosque in Ayodhya would be laid by her country's armed forces.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The comment, which references the Babri mosque demolition in 1992, wasn't a one-off. It came as part of a broader tirade filled with religious overtones and a strong dose of military bravado.
Unsurprisingly, her words have triggered outrage, with many saying that such rhetoric only makes a bad situation worse, especially when it comes to two nuclear-armed neighbours already on edge.
So, who exactly is Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan? And what did she say? Here's a closer look.
The provocative speech
Senator Khan addressed Pakistan's Senate with a fiery tone on April 29.
She said, 'The first brick of the new Babri mosque in Ayodhya will be laid by Pakistan Army soldiers, and the first azaan will be given by Army Chief Asim Munir himself.' She further escalated the tensions by saying, 'We are not wearing bangles."
The senator then took things a step further, claiming that the region was heading toward the rise of a Muslim-led government in India, one she suggested would be led by Pakistan.
'Judging from current circumstances, it appears that Allah is creating the means for the establishment of a Muslim government—specifically a Pakistani Muslim government—in the Indian subcontinent,' she said in Urdu.
The senator's speech intensified when she warned India of dire consequences, 'If any hand reaches toward us, then the symbol of their power, the Red Fort of Delhi, will witness a bloodshed that its walls have never seen, and its ramparts will testify to it for centuries to come,' she was quoted as saying in a Times of India report.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Quoting late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, she added, 'We have guns, we have arms, we have trees—and if the enemy tries anything, we will hang their corpses from our trees.'
Despite her strong language, Khan clarified that she did not have any quarrel with Indian citizens, stating, 'We have no enmity with the people of India.'
Later, she claimed that Sikh soldiers would refuse to fight against Pakistan because of the religious significance the country holds for them.
'The Sikh army will not attack Pakistan because it's the land of Guru Nanak for them,' she said.
"Pakistan is all about terrorism, hate, and Islamist extremism.
This is Pakistani Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan.
'Pak Army soldiers will put the first brick at the new Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, and the first Azaan by Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir. We are not wearing… pic.twitter.com/xzL5DQf4eB — Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) April 30, 2025
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Adding to the controversy, she expressed admiration for Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who is a designated terrorist under Indian law.
'I want to salute Sikh leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, who courageously declared that no Indian soldier will be allowed to cross into Pakistan from Indian Punjab.'
Khan wrapped up her speech with a call to arms saying, 'Our army is not just six or seven lakh soldiers, we have 25 crore people who, when the time comes, will stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces and become soldiers themselves, God willing."
Who is Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan?
Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan is a Pakistani politician currently associated with the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. She holds the position of deputy information secretary within the party and has been a vocal political figure.
She has been serving as a Senator in Pakistan's Upper House since March 2021, representing Sindh on a women's reserved seat. Before that, she was a member of the National Assembly from 2008 to 2013.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
sPalwasha Mohammad Zai Khan holds the position of deputy information secretary within the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. Image courtesy: Pakistan Senate
Palwasha is the niece of Fozia Behram, a seasoned politician and businesswoman. Fozia made history by being the only female member elected to the Punjab Assembly during the 1988–90 term.
This isn't the first time Pakistani leaders have made provocative remarks about India.
Not long ago, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made headlines after India decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. Speaking at a public rally, the former Foreign Minister hit out at New Delhi, saying, 'The Indus is ours and will remain ours. Either our water will flow through it, or their (Indians) blood will.'
He accused India of unilaterally abandoning the treaty and declared Pakistan as the rightful custodian of the Indus civilisation.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan also took to X recently, stating that while Pakistan prefers peace, its desire for stability shouldn't be mistaken for weakness.
'Pakistan has every capability to give a befitting reply to any Indian aggression, as the PTI government, fully supported by a united nation, did in 2019,' he said.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
With input from agencies