Drop the victim card: Hina

In a statement shared on Instagram, Hina Altaf criticised Fawad Khan's stance on the political tensions between Pakistan and India. "You condemned the attack but never named the attacker," she wrote. "You benefited from this country's pride and brands, now you're playing the victim card? That's not how loyalty works."

Hina added that neutrality on the matter might be individually beneficial but not when it comes to one's nation. "In this case, you lose respect on both sides, which is pretty visible given how the citizens of your own country were banned, humiliated, and asked to leave within 48 hours. Kids and soldiers lost their lives. God! Drop the victim card," she said.

The actor-host commented her thoughts under a post about Fawad's wife, Sadaf Fawad, who shared a written piece supporting the Humsafar star through patriotic loyalty tests during the fragile situation, given Fawad's multiple acting credits in Bollywood.

The piece also sparked conversations across social media, with other celebrities also chiming in. Durefishan Saleem shared it on Instagram Stories, quoting a part of the text, "Turning patriotism into a popularity contest and bullying your own is the problem."

Earlier, Fawad broke his silence on the conflict between the two nations following India's attack which claimed civilian lives in Pakistan. "My deepest condolences to the families of those injured and killed in this shameful attack. I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come," The Legend of Maula Jatt actor wrote on Instagram Stories.

He added, "A respectful request to all: stop stoking the flames with rabble-rousing words. It is not worth the lives of innocent people. May better sense prevail. Insha'Allah. Pakistan Zindabad."

Fawad's take encountered mixed responses from netizens. While some lauded him for speaking up in tandem with his peers, others deemed his stance too diplomatic against India's aggression.

"Why didn't you condemn India?" a user outright questioned, while another wrote, "He's still trying to save his career in the Indian film industry."

Some also said his response was "too late" and hence felt performative. "This was needed way earlier," a user said. "Stop saving face."

Surrounding the escalation of conflict, India also imposed a nationwide ban on the social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities, as well as removing them from film posters, music video thumbnails, and singing credits. Caught in this virtual crossfire were all Pakistani stars who had worked on the other side of the border, including Fawad, Mahira Khan, and Atif Aslam.