Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari has criticized Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar, without naming him directly, over his recent statements accusing Pakistan of being involved in the April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that resulted in 26 deaths.
While touring Germany and Switzerland for a fundraising event, Bushra Ansari responded with a video message shared online. In the video, the renowned actress urged Indian public figures to refrain from making provocative statements without evidence. She expressed her frustration, saying, “What drama are you playing, India? First, address your poor policies. You granted visas to women married in India for decades, and now you’re pushing them out.”
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Bushra also referred to Javed Akhtar’s supposed struggles in Mumbai, saying, “Our writer needs an excuse. He couldn’t find a house to rent in Bombay, so now, for relevance, he says anything. What is he talking about? Have some shame. You have little time left, and yet you’re saying such nonsense.” She suggested Akhtar should be silent like actor Naseeruddin Shah.
Further criticizing Indian media figures and former military officials, including TV host Arnab Goswami and a retired Indian Army officer, Bushra called them “venomous voices” who fuel regional division. She also emphasized that not all Indians share the same hostility and shared a personal anecdote of meeting an Indian woman who showed kindness toward her, stating, “It’s not the people—it’s the governments and these extreme voices that poison minds.”
Bushra’s remarks quickly gained traction across Pakistani media and social media, with many praising her for standing up for Pakistan and offering a reality check to Javed Akhtar.
The controversy began when Javed Akhtar made his comments during an event in Maharashtra, where he urged the Indian government to take stronger action against Pakistan, saying, “A few crackers on the border won’t work,” and calling for a harsher response to the attack. He also criticized Pakistan’s military leadership, saying they should be given a strong response to remember.
Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack and has called for an impartial international investigation. In the meantime, reports from organizations like the US State Department, Brill, the Association for Asian Studies, the Council on Foreign Relations, and India Hate Lab have highlighted growing religious intolerance in India, especially under the right-wing leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with an alarming rise in hate speech against minorities in recent years.
