Javed Akhtar urges strong action against Pakistan post-Pahalgam attack

On the afternoon of April 22, a terrorist attack unfolded at Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley claiming 26 lives. The attack, orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba’s The Resistance Front, has prompted a loud response from India and its citizens, with many celebrities also weighing in on the matter.

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Recently, at a FICCI event in Delhi, renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar slammed neighbouring country Pakistan and addressed their repeated denials of assault. “What happened in Pahalgam… of course there will be tension. How can there not be tension when such incidents keep happening? Every few days we see something like this occur, and every year there is at least one such tragic event,” he said.

He highlighted that India had already initiated dialogue between the two sides to instil peace, but their efforts were to no avail. “Every government in this country, whether it’s the Congress or the BJP, has tried to establish peace. Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji went to Pakistan. But what did they do? They washed the place he visited. Is that what they call friendship?” he said, further mentioning Pakistan’s actions after the Kargil war. “How are we supposed to talk to Pakistan when they didn’t even accept the dead bodies of their own soldiers from the Kargil war?”

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Addressing the recent attack against Kashmiri shawl vendors in Mussoorie, Akhtar said such actions validate and confirm Pakistan’s “propaganda”

The Sholay scriptwriter hopes that the Indian government takes “strong and definitive action” against the perpetrators, stating that Mumbai is also a target. “Their Army Chief is insane, he has no sense. And we must not forget the Pahalgam attack. Their eyes are also on Mumbai."

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