Renowned Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar and his wife actress Shabana Azmi – who were supposed to visit Karachi – have cancelled the trip post Pulwama attack. The couple was to attend a literary conference on Kaifi Azmi’s poetry scheduled to take place on February 24 and 25. Javed Akhtar on Friday took to Twitter and announced that they will not attend the event.
Kranchi art council had invited. Shabana and me for a two day lit conference about Kaifi Azmi and his poetry . We have cancelled that . In 1965 during the indo Pak war Kaifi saheb had written a poem . “ AUR PHIR KRISHAN NE ARJUN SE KAHA “
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 15, 2019
A suicide bomber on February 14 rammed his SUV packed with explosives into a CRPF bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district. The death toll in the horrific suicide bombing rose to 49 on February 15. Since the attack, India has been baselessly accusing Pakistan.
In a recent development, Shabana has voiced her opinion on the attack and says that cultural exchange between India and Pakistan should be halted. In a series of tweets, the actress expressed her displeasure over the current situation between the two countries.
Read: Shabana Azmi & Javed Akhtar will attend conference on Kaifi Azmi in Karachi
I am filled with pain and grief and all else ..by the dastardly #Pulwama attack . For the 1st time in all these years I feel weakened in my belief that people to people contact can force the Establishment to do the right thing.We will need to call halt to cultural exchange
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 15, 2019
#Pulwama attack There is no way we can carry on with cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan even as our martyrs are laying down their lives for us. I stand in solidarity with the grieving families.
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 15, 2019
Shabana was said that one should not blindly equate the Pakistani establishment with the people of Pakistan.
But lets not lose sight of d fact dat there is a difference between d Pakistani Establishment n d people of Pakistan n vice versa. On both sides of d border stand sisters n brothers divided by circumstances with which they had nothing 2 do.
Read in continuity of previous tweets— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) February 15, 2019
