No one applauded after Javed Akhtar’s anti-Pakistan comment at Faiz Festival

• The Indian media is congratulating Javed Akhtar.
• They remarked on his statement as “dushman kay ghar mein ja kar usko marna.”
• Akhtar claimed that Pakistanis had applauded when he made the statement.

Following the widespread circulation of his comments blaming Pakistan for not taking strong action against the terrorists responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Javed Akhtar and the Indian media are congratulating themselves for “dushman kay ghar mein ja kar usko marna.”

Akhtar claimed in an interview with Hindustan Times that Pakistanis had applauded when he made the statement and agreed with him.

“They all clapped. They agreed with me. There are many people who admire India, want to have a relationship with us. We tend to think of countries as monolith. That is not the case. How do we connect with millions of people, who want to connect with India,” he said.

The full video is available on social media, thus the claim is false. After Akhtar’s remark regarding the Mumbai attacks, nobody applauded.

Why our media and so-called “elite” is mum over highly condemnable comments made by Javed Akhtar on our own soil? pic.twitter.com/tpLEswwt1x

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— Azhar M Khan (@AzharMKhan3) February 22, 2023

Another remark by the Indian poet was well-received by the audience. “We [India] have organised concerts for persons like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan, but your country has not held a concert for Lata,” Javed Akhtar had said in reference to Pakistan’s lack of appreciation for Indian singers.
This claim is untrue as well, as Indian performers and artists have received some of the greatest honours from the Pakistani government and, in particular, have been invited to speak in Pakistani cities.
Pictures of the Bollywood stars and singers who had won awards in Pakistan were provided by journalist Yusra Askari.

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Dear #Lahore,

I’m surprised no one sitting in the audience chose to set the record straight. Hospitality is one thing but applauding misinformation is another.

1/3#India #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/kB478OAD7j

— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) February 22, 2023

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Assalamualaikum @Javedakhtarjadu sahab,

We might not have had the privilege of hosting the genius of Lata ji but talent from across the border has always been lauded, appreciated and celebrated on our shores.

2/3#India #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/s6yoqupGgM

— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) February 22, 2023

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. @Javedakhtarjadu sahab,

Feel free to call a spade a spade but don’t make us out to be what we are not.

Art & artists from across the border have always been respected by Pakistani audiences.

Hope you enjoyed your time in #Lahore & visit again soon.

3/3#India #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/g2QcZr9v2G

— Yusra Askari (@YusraSAskari) February 22, 2023

The 7th annual International Faiz Festival was held in Lahore over the weekend in honour of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The event aims to promote Urdu poetry, music, literature, and drama as well as national human rights problems.

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