Javed Akhtar on making controversial comments in Pakistan: ‘Yahan nahi darte wahan kya darna?’

Javed Akhtar recently attended a festival honouring writer Faiz Ahmed Faiz, in Lahore where he was told that Indians think all Pakistani are terrorists. Javed gave a stern reply and said the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks continue to roam freely in Pakistan. He has since been at the centre of the controversy – Pakistani celebs have slammed him while Indian celebs as well as politicians are praising him for the statement.

Speaking at an ABP event, Javed repeated his statement from that event and added, “It became too big, it feels embarrassing, feel like I should not go (for such events). Yaha aya to laga pata nahi third World War jeet ke aya hoon (as if I won the third world war). The people and the media have so many reactions. I was embarrrased aisa kya keh diya? Itni baat to kehni padegi, chup rahein kya (we have to say as much, should we just shut up)?”

He said he has now received messages informing him that people in Pakistan being questioned on how he even got a visa, and added that he may only recall the place now (suggesting that he may not ever get to go back again). Asked if he felt scared to speak his mind while sitting in Lahore, at an event being held in a hall full of Pakistani people, Javed said, “Is tarah ki baatein, jo controversial hain…jis mulk pe paida hue, jeete hain aur marenge waha karte rehte hain to dusre mulk me do din jana waha kya dar tha? Jab yaha nahi darte to waha kya darenge (I make such controversial comments in the country where I wa born and will die, why would I be scared in a country I was visiting for two days? I am not scared here, why would I be scared there)?”

Javed was addressing a gathering at the literary festival in Pakistan when he said that as witnesses of the horrors of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, it is wrong to expect Indians to ignore that the perpetrators of those attacks are living freely in Pakistan.