The Bombay High Court has ruled against a petition that urged the ban of artists from Pakistan in India. The petition was filed by cine worker and artiste, Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who had demanded that the government of India prohibit artists like actors, musicians, singers, lyricists and technicians from Pakistan and not keep any association with them. The petitioner sought directions to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs to impose a ban on Pakistani artists.
However, a division bench of Justice Sunil B Shukre and Justice Firdosh P Pooniwalla ruled against it. “A person who is good at heart would welcome in his country any activity which promotes peace, harmony, and tranquillity within the country and across the border. Arts, music, sports, culture, dance and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures and nations and truly bring about peace, tranquillity, unity and harmony in nation and between nations”, the court observed, as reported by Live Law India.
The court observed that activities such as music, sports, culture and arts promote cultural harmony. “One must understand that in order to be a patriot, one need not be inimical to those from abroad especially, from the neighbouring country. A true patriot is a person who is selfless, who is devoted to the cause of his country, which he cannot be, unless he is a person who is good at heart”, said the court.
The court also highlighted how the Indian government is fostering global peace and security, in accordance with Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, amidst the Pakistan Cricket team’s participation in the ongoing World Cup 2023 which is being hosted in India. The team has been in the country for almost a month. “The World Cricket Cup being held in India, A Cricket team from Pakistan is taking part and this has happened only because of appreciable positive steps taken by the Government of India in the interest of overall peace and harmony in consonance with Article 51 of the Constitution of India which is about promotion of international peace and security. If such a petition is to be entertained by this Court, it would set as at nought the positive initiatives taken by the Government of India in the interest of international peace and harmony”, the court observed, as per the publication.
Following the Pulwama Terror Attacks in 2019, several sections of the country and artists had called for a ban on artists from Pakistan after which stars like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Atif Aslam, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan among others have not worked in India.
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