Pakistani celebrities have reacted to India’s strike on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as tensions escalate between the two nuclear-powered nations.
Actor Fawad Khan, who made his Bollywood debut with the romantic comedy Khoobsurat in 2014 and later worked in Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, took to his Instagram story to share his thoughts on the ongoing tensions.
“I pray for the souls of the deceased and strength for their loved ones in the days to come,” he wrote, adding, “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. InshaAllah. Pakistan Zindabad.”
Fawad Khan’s Indian project Abir Gulaal, opposite actress Vani Kapoor, was set to release this month. However, amid the ongoing dispute, reports surfaced of the movie being shelved. There is currently no confirmation on whether the movie will hit the theaters.
Hania Aamir reacts, saying, “I have anger”
Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, whose social media accounts were deactivated in India following the Pahalgam attack, also reacted with a one-word post on her Instagram story: “Cowardly.” In another story, she wrote, “I don’t have fancy words right now. I just have anger, pain and a heavy heart.”
Hania remains widely popular not only in Pakistan but also among audiences in India. Despite the Indian government’s geo-ban on Pakistani content, her Indian fans continue to support her by using VPNs to access her work and express their admiration online, the Times of India reported.
Mahira Khan: “May we do the right thing”
Actress Mahira Khan, who starred opposite Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for her first Hindi project in Raees, 2017, also took to her Instagram story and reposted a tweet, sharing, “Seriously cowardly!!! May Allah protect our country, may better sense prevail. Ameen.”
Her film Raees reportedly ranked among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
Sharing another note, Khan wrote, “We speak up when there are injustices in our own land, we condemn violence wherever it happens even when my country Pakistan is instantly blamed without any evidence.”
Pakistani actors made headlines after their social media accounts were restricted following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The accounts of Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar, and others now display the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” Also, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly faced a similar ban.
As per Indian media reports, sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels were also blocked, including media outlets like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News.
(Screengrabs from the respective actors’ Instagram accounts)
