MUMBAI: Pakistani singer Shafaqat Amanat Ali has come forward as the first artiste from the neighboring country to condemn the Uri terror attack.
Pakistani artistes, working in Bollywood, have been at the centre of a storm since the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) threatened them to leave India in the wake of the attack and also demanded a ban on them from working in the film industry.
The silence of the artistes on the attack has been questioned and criticized in India.
Shafaqat, whose concert in Benguluru was scrapped last month after the terror strike, told a news channel, “It is a terror attack and I condemn it, I strongly condemn it.”
When asked why other Pakistani artistes haven’t condemned the attack, the singer said,
“As far as I know, Pakistani actors condemn any kind of attack which happens in any part of the world which is against any country because we have been suffering for so many years.
“We know how it feels when your soldier or civilian dies. So, I don’t think any of them would say this (Uri) was right.”
Shafaqat said when the attack happened there was anger generated towards Pakistani artistes and that pushed them on the backfoot and hence they did not speak on the issue.
“The moment all this started, people started bashing them. Someone also wrote an open letter to Fawad which pushes you on the backfoot and you start thinking ‘What just happened? Why suddenly an open letter to me?’ Ali Zafar, Fawad, Rahat (Fateh Ali Khan) or me, we will condemn a terror attack in any part of the world.” –PTI
