Javed too Indian for Pak officials

New Delhi: Lyricist Javed Akhtar is too much of a patriot for Pakistan, and that is the reason he was denied a visa in June.

Akhtar was to visit Karachi to attend the premiere of Mughal-e-Azam along with a delegation of Indian stars, but on June 23 announced that the Pakistan government had refused to give him a visa.

The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s top external intelligence agency, claims the lyricist was denied a visa because Pakistan's Foreign Ministry disliked him for supporting India in all his works.

A RAW report claims Pakistani officials were peeved with Akhtar because of his songs in LoC, Kargil, Border and Lakshya, which was directed by his son Farhan.

The Pakistan Government’s decision created a controversy and enraged Akhtar’s fans. “The lyricist is an Indian in every way and no nation can soften an Indian Muslim's stand by questioning it in such a way,” said Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal

The special screening of Mughal-e-Azam was organised to raise funds for victims of the October earthquake, and Akhtar was the only one of the 22 Indians to be denied a visa.

However later, when the incident kicked up a storm, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry issued him a visa. But by then, the organisers had cancelled the screening and Akhtar too declined to visit the country.

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