Mumbai, August 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has criticised Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari over his remarks about the country’s Hindu minority, accusing him of being “insensitive” towards communities comprising a smaller share of the population.
In a post on X on Saturday, Akhtar took exception to Zardari’s comments made during Pakistan’s Independence Day observations, in which the President referred to the country’s Hindu population as constituting around 3-4 per cent and used the term “tolerate” while describing their presence.
Zardari said Pakistan’s Muslims “tolerate” the Hindu population and claimed that Hindus in Pakistan enjoy freedom and would prefer to live there rather than in India.
Reacting to the remarks, Akhtar wrote that Zardari had “always been insensitive to all under the sun which is less than 10 per cent”, referring to his assessment of the Pakistani President’s attitude towards minority communities.
Akhtar has frequently been critical of Pakistan and its policies. At a book launch in Mumbai last year, he had said India had made efforts to improve ties with Pakistan, including opening cultural channels, but alleged that Islamabad had not made comparable efforts.
Speaking about the Kashmir issue at the event, Akhtar had also claimed that India had not been aggressive despite its position on Kashmir and alleged that aggression had historically come from Pakistan.
One of the episodes cited in the broader context of India-Pakistan hostilities is Operation Gibraltar, launched by Pakistan in August 1965. The operation involved attempts to infiltrate Jammu and Kashmir and foment an uprising against the Indian government.
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