Veteran screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has strongly criticised Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari over his recent remarks about the country’s Hindu minority. Akhtar called Zardari’s comments insensitive and took a sharp dig at the Pakistani leader’s political past. His response has now sparked a fresh debate on social media, with some users criticising Akhtar while others backing his stand. The controversy began after a video from an event around Pakistan’s Independence Day surfaced online. In the video, Zardari reportedly referred to Pakistan’s Hindu population, which makes up around 3–4 percent of the country’s population, and used the word tolerate while describing their presence.
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar Slams Zardari
His remarks triggered criticism, particularly over the choice of language used for describing a minority community living in the country. Reacting to Zardari’s comments on X, Javed Akhtar questioned the Pakistani President’s attitude towards minorities. He described the statement as insensitive and also referred to Zardari’s political rise following his marriage to former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Akhtar further used the phrase “Mr Ten Percent”, a nickname historically associated with allegations of corruption against Zardari.
Javed Akhtar
The veteran lyricist argued that Zardari appeared to be particularly insensitive towards communities that constitute less than 10 percent of the population. Javed Akhtar’s post soon attracted reactions from both supporters and critics. While several users appreciated him for questioning the language used for Pakistan’s Hindu minority, others accused him of unnecessarily commenting on Pakistan’s internal affairs.
Javed Akhtar
Some social media users also criticised Akhtar for his outspoken views on India-Pakistan relations. However, Akhtar did not appear to back down. Known for responding directly to online criticism, he reportedly gave equally sharp replies to some of those who questioned his comments. Javed Akhtar has frequently spoken about India-Pakistan relations, terrorism and minority rights. His views have often generated strong reactions on both sides of the border.
The latest controversy has once again brought him into the spotlight, this time after his direct response to Asif Ali Zardari’s remarks about Pakistan’s Hindu population. With the debate continuing online, Akhtar’s comments have added another dimension to the discussion surrounding minority rights, political rhetoric and India-Pakistan relations.