Poet/writer Javed Akhtar and wife actor Shabana Azmi have decided to skip being part of a Karachi Art Council event in protest of the militant attack in Pulwama. The couple were earlier invited to join the two literature conference in Karachi but have now cancelled in light of the attack carried out by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-E-Mohammed (JeM.)
Javed took to Twitter and wrote, “ 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.”
Shabana tweeted, “ @Javedakhtarjadu and I have cancelled Karachi Arts Councils celebration of my father Kaifi Azmi’s centenary and Rekhta’s 3 day celebration in Dubai which included a show of our play Kaifi aur Main by IPTA . All Indians stand united as one.”
After a Pakistani journalist shared Javed’s tweet saying “It’s a shame”, he responded, “ Dont get upset with me. talk to those who are running your country , who are protecting and nurturing terrorists like Masood Azhar . Those who had sent Qasab to my city . If you are getting a terrible reputation they are responsible no one else.”
The film fraternity condemned the dastardly terror attack in which 43 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday, terming it a "cowardly" act.
In the worst-ever terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since militancy erupted in 1989, a suicide bomber on Thursday rammed his SUV packed with explosives into a CRPF bus on the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district, killing at least 43 troopers and leaving the security established stunned.
(Inputs: IANS)
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