Indian film workers association asks Pakistani artistes to leave country in 48 hours

An Indian film workers association affiliated to political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has asked Pakistani actors working in India to leave the country in 48 hours. According to reports, the political group based in Mumbai has also warned the artistes of dire consequences if they do not heed the warning. The actors have been warned that they would be beaten up, alongside directors and producers who cast them in their movies.

"We gave a 48 hour deadline to Pakistani actors and artists to leave India or MNS will push them out. Pakistani kalakaar toh maar khaayenge hi, saath mein jo yahan producer/director hain unko bhi peetenge (Pakistani artists will be beaten up and so will the producers and directors)," Amey Khopkar, of MNS Chitrapat Sena, said on Friday (23 September).

There are many artistes from Pakistan, who work in India and have made the nation their home away from home. Top artists, like Fawad Khan, Ali Zafar, Mahira Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Imran Abbas and Mawra Hocane are among the Pakistani actors and actresses who have managed to make their name in India's Bollywood.

However, this is not the first time that Pakistani artistes have been targeted in India. Earlier, the Shiv Sena — an Indian far-right regional political party — had said they would hamper the promotions of Fawad Khan's movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Mahira Khan's film Raees. They were also involved in the cancellation of various concerts of Pakistani artistes in India. They had forced Mekaal Hasan Band and noted ghazal singer Ghulam Ali among others to cancel their concerts in India.

The development comes amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Sunday's (18 September) militant attack on the Indian army base in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed.