Pakistani artists take anti-war stand

Plato once said, “Only the dead know the end of war.” But the world has yet to learn the meaning of those words.In recent days, in the wake of the horrifying Pulwama attack and heightened tension between Pakistan and India with reports of attacks from both sides making headlines, it is a perilous time. As tension remains high, it is disappointing to see Indian artists such as Ajay Devgn, to quote just one example, war mongering and speaking of war as a desirable option. However, even in these times, perhaps the one silver lining is that a number of high profile Pakistani artists – if not all - have taken an anti-war stand, a move that is courageous and necessary. When author Fatima Bhutto tweeted, “There is nothing uglier than people cheering for war,” Mahira Khan, one of Pakistan’s most prolific stars, retweeted it to her 1.72 million followers and added: “Nothing uglier. Nothing more ignorant than cheering for war. May sense prevail. Pakistan Zindabad.”Actress Mawra Hocane began her tweet by quoting Christopher Holiday, who said ‘There can be no winners in war if we value human life at all.’ In the same tweet, Mawra further noted, “It’s time we understand as humans. The media needs to take charge and stop being provocative. It’s our duty to inculcate peace and use our words for better and not worse. Praying for peace always!” Similarly, one of Pakistan’s biggest actors and host Fahad Mustafa noted on his Twitter handle: “War does not determine who is right… only who is left. Say no to war.”There are artists like Shaan Shahid, for instance, who seem to be on the wrong side of this delicate issue as his social media indicates. But at least some celebrities are promoting the right message that war is not the answer.

from The News International - Instep Today https://ift.tt/2XpCYWp