NEW DELHI:
Pakistani artist and rising Bollywood star Ali Zafar was tight-lipped on Tuesday after being told he won’t be performing at a musical festival in the Indian city of Pune – this cancellation is the latest cultural casualty of tensions between Pakistan and India along the Line of Control (LoC).
Right-wing Indian party Shiv Sena forced organisers to cancel the event which was due to take place on Saturday. The move was followed by the scrapping of a series of events featuring Pakistanis.
Another casualty was Pakistani classical singer Javed Bashir, who had performed in Delhi on Sunday along with the Mekaal Hasan band. After his Monday performance was cancelled, Bashir was quoted by The Times of India as saying, “It’s sad to note that shows are being cancelled due to security issues.”
The news from Mumbai is just as bad. The Mumbai Magicians hockey team, which has four Pakistani players, was asked to send them back in the interest of their own safety.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (73)
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THE performers from Pakistan Ali Zafar and Javed Bashir were shown Bashir were axed to perform the concer aeter LOC tense situation. India has shown no consideration to the services of these artistes. The bias and prejudice exist against Pakistani artistes. They forget the serice in a second. This does not boost the Image of India. Both the artistes have expressed thir grief over this action.The performers love respectfor their work and performing before the public is always good for them. Their feelings and pocket has been hurt with this decision. The question is at wdhat cost these artists are willing to go toIndia for performing there. Is it worth to be treated in such a way.
They must consider this attitude Of India, before making such decision.
Javaid Bashir Lahore
@Karim Javed Which Pakistani Singing are you talking about ? All your music is based on classical ragas. Did it come from Saudi Arabia or Mughal Uzbeks or Turks ? Who gave you the culture of music ? If you don't know , then go and read the origin of Ragas which your convert ustad's sing day and night......
@Sumaiya: You are a perfect example of a bigot people of India have moved on from the poltics of mrs indra Gandhi; has Pakistan. Live long and prosper
@Indian: Hey guys it's not end of world, hopefully they will on satellite from pak
. India is indeed a "Bad County". . No Good Food, No Good People. Finally No Toilets. . I hope Pakistanis will show their Intelligence by REFUSING TO VISIT INDIA IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. . India will be starved of the Pakistani Big Spenders and their Tourism Industry will suffer so badly that India will beg the Pakistanis to visit India. . Now, hopefully, Pakistanis will show their UTTER CONTEMPT and REFUSE to VISIT INDIA for ALL TIME TO COME. . Cheers
@Karim Javed: another Iam-better than you- pakistani. In truth, 99.99% of indians don't care about Pakistan, even if you are better than India. Why you are always India-centric ? why you people can concentrate on the development of pakistan rather than worry about what's happening in india?
@Karim Javed: so why havent you built a music industry and stable movie industry?
I will answer that too... because western nations and your rulers are responsible!! Any other excuses????? No your artistes are not better for your info.
What if the old lady had nt crossed the LoC.....!!...:(
There seems to be an amazing sense of entitlement on the side of some people. Entitlement that even though singers cannot do any shows in Pakistan they should be entitled to do so.
HEre's the thing. you maybe used to soldiers being beheaded, we are not. In fact during Kargill war when Pakistan refused to accept its dead soldiers because it was claiming at that time that they were tribals and not part of Pakistani force, India buried those soldiers wih dignity. The brazen denials and lack of remorse is not helping either. War is not an option but there has to be a way to convey that things are not business as usual - both at government level and at civilian level.GOvernment has put visa liberalisation on hold and this is the civilian response. It is the most civil approach that could have been taken. No -one is going around giving implied threats of using nuclear option, the way Pakistani military leaders did in the wake of Abbotabad.
Some people talked about being big hearted. Sorry our heart beats for our soldiers first. The hockey players will receive full payment because it was not their fault they could not play. That is all that can be expected under the circumstances.
I feel very saddened by the turn of events since every time the peace process gets some momentum , some state /non-stateactors from Pakistan derail it. This happened in 1999, 2001, 2008, 2013.
@Abbas: Thanks a ton to u if he listens to u...plz call back Adnan sami also...
@Pakistan politics: They are in India discussing future course of action....
@Antanu G: Where have you been? Haven't seen you in a while on ET?
All Pakistanis, without exception have a self destruct fuse. When immense opportunities had just started opening up for them in India, they activated the fuse.
All Pakistanis, without exception, have a self destruct fuze. When immense opportunities had just started opening up for them in India, they activated the fuze. Guys are great!!!!!!
True face of indian - Aman ki Asha.
For God sake, why are we making Arts and Sports suffer because of politics and military issues!
You know people like me criticize Hafiz Saeed type characters for being unnecessary belligerent & creating hype against India when there is room for friendship. Indians by reacting this way over an unconfirmed mutilation of a soldier's body ( by refusing independent investigation as well) are proving Hafiz Saeed right i.e. India can never be a friend !!!
India-Hafiz Saeed Bahi Bhai....
@Chei: Thank you, pleasssee do!
@naeem hussain: what do you expect from a nation who lost its two soldiers on LOC with no reason? At least we are not among those who set their county on fire for some ridiculous film on their religion. Bcoz we espect human life and humanity more than any extremist idea.
Where is Pakistani Electronic media now,,,,,,,,,, Why they are not doing prime time talk shows with breaking news on this now..............
These traitors should get even more worse treatment than this. This is the only good thing that has come out of recent esclation between pakistan and india at LoC. These kind of people are destroying the self-esteem of patriotic pakistanis who dislike anything associated with india.
@khalsa: what did i say? Pak Army is denying that they decapitated indian soldiers, i don't trust them, but why should i trust indians?
reality is that dono mulk kay logoon ko thuuk kay chaatnay ki aadat hai.....won't be long before every thing would be hunky and dory....
@Seriously: If you had so much talent then why don't u develop your industry?? Empty vessels make more noise...lol..
@ss:
because we have such a colorful neightbor
@Pakistan politics:
Aman ki Asha ? where are shameless liberals now?
I'm seeing the same post for the post of couple of days when the articles started appearing.........dude did anyone respond to your questions so far ?
@karim javed point is u don't have anything other than gandasa lol stone age folks
@ss: why do you act inhuman to your neighbors.
@Indian & Delhi Belly if that happened in Pakistani side of the border then what your soldier was doing inside Pakistani territory? and if that happened in IoK then is your army really that incompetent that Pak Army crossed into IoK, decapitated your soldiers and they did nothing?
Our hockey players who have been asked to leave India should refuse any money from Indian hockey league. They should show some ghairat for pakistan
As a Pakistani, i am sad that a single event is again dividing 1.5 billion people of the two great countries. Why cant we sit and think who wants to divide us and who always disturb peace process?
@Murthi dream on! If you had such good local talent at your end, your music composers wont be begging us to sing songs for your movies! So just shshhhhhh
This shows that Indo-Pak peace is only skin deep. Compared to 26/11, the present incidence is nothing. However, the reaction in India is massive. Beading may be a routine issue for Pakistan, but not for India. Creation of Pakistan was not a normal business for Indians and therefore Indo-Pak business will never be normal.
Great tactics by Kiyani to draw attention away from what they are doing to Raja Ashraf.
@Kaizen True reflections of secular and democratic India… duh!!!
What does "secular" and "democratic" have to do with kicking out a Pakistani artist?? Secularism means treating all CITIZENS equally irrespective of race and religion. Democracy is when the government elected by its "CITIZENS"
Since when have Pakistani nationals become Indian citizens? I guess you really do not understand but just had to say something about secularism and democracy even if it really does not make sense in this context.
Indians are sworn enemies.Always will be.Any effort of cordial relations is futile.
True reflections of secular and democratic India... duh!!!
The base or your can say the concept of Pakistan is based on anti India and hate. That's why its roots are so shaken. The army and Pakistani armed forces are depriving the poor people of Pakistan in the name of Kashmir cause and anti India sentiments. More than 90% of aid given by the US is absorbed by security establishments. No electricity, no hospitals, no education and no infrastructure. To add they have people like Zaid Hamid and Hamid Gul.
Ali zafar please remember this day ...and never go back to India . Again. Untile and unless they start coming to Pakistan to look for work .
What India soldiers are doing with the support of America Israel and Britain? No country will pay more dearly than India once America leaves and that is inevitable. @Indian:
Where are Aman ki Asha people and NGO's paid workers who never miss any opportunity to dig the dirt on Pakistan and Islam.
Aman ka Tamasha !
@qadri: Its not lust for money its "Aman ki Asha".
@ss: Why pakistanis show their true color by killing, mutilating and beheading Indian soldiers on LOC.
all those pakistani people who says India is bad and does not want frienship,dialogue etc etc like hina rabani khar in her recent statement says India is war mongoring must know that what they are saying about are not their own word they are speaking their rulers word.what pakistani rulers say people says the same without verifying whether their rulers telling truth and if pakistani people wants proof then it is there in pakistan itself and the recent proof is pakistan sc ordering arrest of country's PM and 16 others.now tell me if pakistan rulers always tells truth to its citizen then why pakistan sc ordered their arrest.pakistan rulers are giving mis informations about India and people believing their rulers who always keeps it citizen in dark and tells lies to them.if those people who says their rulers are right and giving right statement then they must say their SC is wrong.
pakistan politician says India dont want dialogue then better search internet and see how India is seriously trying to normalize visa agreement with pic showing Indian immigration officials decorating visa on arrival office with flowers for pakistan citizen just before they geod orders to suspend it and hina khar says India is war mongoring,ridiculus.If India has carrots in one hand then it also has sticks in the other hand which is upto pakistan to choose.
@Harshvardhan sharma: Yeah because we are always better than your artists and you can't compete us. Rather it is acting or singing, you gain that much promotion for your movies just because you have above 100 crore people who prefer watching movies rather than eating something.
@Pakistan politics: I did not see your comment on news about TTP beheading Pakistani army men.
As an Indian I hate Aman ka Tamasha.
@Xtreme: That Pak army committed beheading???
This is how big hearted India is lol They believe in hatred, not all but many of them do.
quite apparent now who controls their foreign policy
@qadri: it's not lust, its the lack of money and opportunities in pakistan.
what happened to Aman ki Bhasha!!??
It is their own fault. They think money is everything. Well, you pay for it eventually.
@ss: @Xtreme: So reacting to Pakistan's coward army beheading a soldier in a civil manner of cutting cultural ties is showing true colors ? Be glad that we r not being barbaric and beheading them like you cowards do.
This makes me terribly sad.
Why are we (Pakistanis) surprised? I mean if roles were reversed, I bet Pakistanis would be burning hindu temples etc. I think there is more to LOC story then what is being published but ground reality is in India general people are mad at Pakistan for what has happened and what they are doing is justified. At one side we say we are ready for war but then we say Indians are bad for not allowing us to 'work' for them, which is what we are doing by performing over there. I do not blame Indians for canceling shows etc, its normal in this scenario. If we are shocked, our heads are too far in our own behind and we are accepting the reality. Need of the hour is we investigate truthfully from our side, and if we are at fault punish those responsible and move on. If there are faults on the Indian side, talk to them present the facts and resolve the issue. Fact is India is not going anywhere and we are not going anywhere. We have to live with each other. Choice is whether we live like enemies or as friends. I chose the latter. Lets get the facts, punish those responsible (if need be) and keep pushing for normal friendly relationship.
That's what we call 'Aman ka Tamasha'!
Why does he have to come to India to seek work?
Can't he find work in Pakistan?
Does he make more money in India than in Pakistan? Is money the criteria for an artiste?
Or he considers working in India is superior and working in Pakistan inferior?
Good nobody wants pak artists in India go and work in Pakistan as such there is no film industry in pak develop Industry at home
Aman ki Asha ? where are shameless liberals now?
Indians honestly have nothing better to do or shall we say cannot do anything else, they do not have the b@lls to retaliate, I have worked with Indian for over 5 years, all they do is talk talk talk talk and talk thats all.
slap on so called liberal
This is the reason why I don't understand why Pakistanis and Pakistani television promote Indian movies, dramas. Why are Pakistanis so dumb? Boycott all Indian products and businesses in Pakistan right now. But as usual Pakistanis have deaf ears.
Really very sad at this... as an Ali Zafar fan I apologize to all Pakistani Ali Zafar fans... but don't worry... this is temporary... should end soon... I wish the Indian media was not spreading so much hatred but sadly it is...
Thanks India... wish your this attitude force my fellow countrymen to understand... not now? lots more in India i guess.. we can have more examples soon
@ss: They don't show, it is hard to mask it.
At least now the shameless Pakistani male and female artists,whose are preforming in India,come back to Pakistan and stay here because you shall not die of hunger in Pakistan and also you shall have home,bread and clothes in Pakistan......
the lust for money will take them back to india in no time!!
This is good news . We have so much local talent in India itself.
In retaliation of this incident, we should watch more Indian soaps.
why do indians always show their true colors?
The reality revealed..