Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi cancel Karachi visit after IoK attack

Bollywood veterans Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar have cancelled their scheduled trip to Karachi following the suicide attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir in which at least 44 Indian soldiers were killed.

Azmi and Akhtar were scheduled to attend a conference in Karachi in honour of the former’s father, the celebrated Indian Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi. The conference is scheduled from February 23 to 24 at the Arts Council of Karachi.

However, Akhtar took to Twitter on Friday and said, "Karachi 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’.”

The two veteran actors also condemned the attack on social media.

Although Azmi had confirmed her Karachi trip, Indian media reports recently suggested that she might not be able to attend the event as she was suffering from swine flu.

In November last year, Azmi and Akhtar had attended the Faiz Festival in Lahore.