Famous novelist, actor and columnist Mustansar Hussain Tarar has condemned without any reservation the anti-Pakistan remarks made by Indian singer and poet Javed Akhtar.
The veteran Indian writer had said at an event in Lahore a few days ago that India celebrated the great singers of Pakistan, but the sentiment was not reciprocated. He said that massive shows were organised for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan in India, but no such show was organised in Pakistan for the legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Referring to the Mumbai attacks, Akhtar pointed finger at Pakistan and said those involved in the bloody attacks were still roaming free in Pakistan. Many Pakistani celebrities expressed their outrage at Akhtar’s remarks.
Speaking at the Lahore Literature Festival (LLF), Tarrar criticised Akhtar for his words and said that he felt ashamed of himself after hearing them. However, he did not believe that Akhtar’s remarks were worth commenting. He however said that Pakistan had lost its sense of tolerance as a nation.
The author of the acclaimed novel “Bahao” made several bold statements that stole the show. He expressed his belief that a writer must use a strong language to criticise the society he lives in to win a Nobel Prize, but he does not have that talent.
He stated that Pakistan’s Pride of Performance and Kamal-e-Fan awards were as valuable as a Nobel Prize.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/23-Feb-2023/faysal-quraishi-calls-out-javed-akhtar-for-his-comments-at-faiz-mela
