Javed Akhtar opens up about 26/11 attackers “roaming free” in Pakistan

Javed Akhtar has slammed Pakistan in its own country, saying the 26/11 Mumbai terror perpetrators were still roaming free in their country.

At an event in memory of renowned Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz in Lahore, Akhtar’s speech took a political twist after questions from the audience.

He was asked by one person in the audience to tell Indians that Pakistan is “a positive, friendly and loving country”. To which Akhtar responded, “Let us not blame each other. That won’t solve issues. Jo garam hai fiza, woh kam honi chahiye. Hum toh Bambaiye log hain. Hamne dekha wahan kaise hamla hua tha. Wo log Norway se toh nahi aaye the naa Egypt se aaye the, wo log abhi bhi aapke mulk me ghum rahe hain. Toh ye shikayat agar Hindustani ke dil mein ho toh aapko bura nahi manna chahiye (The atmosphere needs to cool down. I am from Bombay and all of us witnessed the attack on Bombay. The attackers weren’t from Norway, or from Egypt. They are still present in your country, so you should not be offended if an Indian complains about this).”

'हम तो बंबई के लोग हैं, हमने देखा कैसे हमला हुआ था…वो लोग नॉर्वे से तो नहीं आए थे, न मिस्र से आए थे, वो लोग अभी भी आपके मुल्क में घूम रहे हैं'. – लाहौर के फ़ैज़ फेस्टिवल में जावेद अख्तर#FaizFestival2023#javedakhtar pic.twitter.com/s9s1cMYZqf

— Versha Singh (@Vershasingh26) February 21, 2023