India-Pakistan Ties Unlikely To Improve Soon: Javed Akhtar
Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar expressed doubt over any significant improvement in India-Pakistan relations in the near future, pointing to a historic missed opportunity for reconciliation in the aftermath of Partition. Speaking at the launch of Farewell Karachi, a book by author and film critic Bhawana Somaaya, Javed reflected on the emotional and cultural trauma caused during 1947 and lamented that both nations never initiated a joint effort to heal.
He referred to South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which brought together victims and perpetrators of apartheid to share their stories. Drawing a parallel, he said, “If people from both sides of Partition — those who faced horrors and displacement — had come together in the early ’50s, it could have created genuine understanding. But that never happened. Now, 75 years later, many of those people aren’t even alive.”
Javed suggested that the Indian and Pakistani governments should have facilitated such meetings to understand the scale of suffering across the border — not just selectively. “We only know our pain. They only know theirs. It was never truly shared,” he said, adding that the absence of this emotional reckoning continues to impact relations.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated recently after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, prompting India to launch targeted strikes on May 7 across nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, under Operation Sindoor.
Javed was sharply critical of Pakistan’s power structure, particularly its military, political establishment, and far-right groups, which he believes obstruct peace efforts. “There are millions in Pakistan who want better ties with India — not just out of goodwill, but also admiration for our economic growth, technology, cinema, and culture. But the Pakistani army thrives on hostility with India. Peace is not in their interest,” he said.
He added that unlike Pakistan, India’s armed forces remain apolitical. “Here, the army doesn’t run the country. Over there, people say every nation has an army, but the Pakistani army has a nation.”
Despite acknowledging flaws on both sides, Javed maintained that India has consistently extended diplomatic and cultural efforts for peace, more so than Pakistan. “Even in the Kashmir dispute, we have never been aggressive. Many even question our restraint,” he said.
Akhtar’s remarks highlighted the deep-rooted mistrust that continues to define Indo-Pak relations and the unhealed wounds of Partition that still shape modern-day politics.
