If Pak isn't responsible for attacks, their artists should condemn it: Javed Akhtar

Mumbai: Veteran lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar lashed out at Pakistani artistes, saying the fact they have not condemned the Uri attack is a kind of a 'confession' that the country is responsible for it. Akhtar, 71, said he does not see any reason behind Pakistani artistes’ silence on the attack.

“The silence of Pakistani actors is a form of confession that Pakistan is responsible for it (the attack). If Pakistan says they aren’t responsible for it, I don’t see any reason any Pakistani artiste should not condemn it. If they say, ‘We are not responsible’ then very good, come out and condemn it,” he told a news channel.

After the Uri attacks that saw 18 Indian soldiers losing their lives to terrorism, the two neighbouring nation had been clouded by a palpable tension. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had given a 48-hour ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave the country forcing actors like Fawad Khan to leave.

Things got messier when Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) announced a ban on Pakistani artists and technicians for an indefinite period until normalcy returns.

While a lot many Indian artistes have come out voicing their perspectives on the attacks, no Pakistani artiste has spoken out on the issue.