Pulwama attack: Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi cancel Pak visit

Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi have cancelled their upcoming trip to Pakistan, following the Pulwama terror attack that killed around 40 CRPF personnel on Thursday. The couple was scheduled to attend poet Kaifi Azmi's birth centenary celebrations in Karachi.

"Kranchi art council had invited. Shabana and me for a two day lit conference about Kaifi Azmi and his poetry. We have cancelled that. In 1965 during the indo Pak war Kaifi saheb had written a poem. AUR PHIR KRISHAN NE ARJUN SE KAHA," Akhtar wrote on Twitter.

Responding to one of the comments on his tweet, Akhtar wrote, "Dont get upset with me. talk to those who are running your country , who are protecting and nurturing terrorists like Masood Azhar . Those who had sent Qasab to my city . If you are getting a terrible reputation they are responsible no one else ."

A CRPF convoy, while moving from Jammu to Srinagar, was attacked by a suicide bomber in Lethpora area on the national highway at around 3.15 pm yesterday.

According to CRPF, 37 of its personnel were killed and 5 were injured in the attack. Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Expressing her anguish, Shabana Azmi tweeted, "I am filled with pain and grief and all else ..by the dastardly #Pulwama attack . For the 1st time in all these years I feel weakened in my belief that people to people contact can force the Establishment to do the right thing.We will need to call halt to cultural exchange."

She further wrote, "#Pulwama attack There is no way we can carry on with cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan even as our martyrs are laying down their lives for us. I stand in solidarity with the grieving families."

However, she added, "But lets not lose sight of d fact dat there is a difference between d Pakistani Establishment n d people of Pakistan n vice versa. On both sides of d border stand sisters n brothers divided by circumstances with which they had nothing 2 do."

Yesterday, when the news of the attack was made public, Akhtar had tweeted, "I have a special relation with CRPF. I have written Their anthem Before putting the pen to paper I met a number of CRPF officers n what ever I learned my respect admiration and love for these braves increased by many a fold Today I share the grief of the dear ones of the martyrs.