Indian dialogue writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar has criticised Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari over his recent statement about Hindus living in Pakistan. Zardari had said that Pakistan ‘tolerates’ its Hindu population. Calling the remark insensitive, Akhtar also responded to people who criticised him for speaking out.
Zardari says ‘we tolerate Hindus’
Zardari made the remarks on 14 August while comparing the situation of Hindus in Pakistan and India. He said that Indians have a different perspective and believe in the idea of ‘Akhand Bharat’ (Undivided India), but claimed that there were several aspects of history that they had forgotten.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari made this statement on August 14.
He further said, “We are Muslims and they are not. But we are Muslims with such a mindset who tolerate the 3-4 percent Hindu population in Pakistan.” He added that Hindus in Pakistan were free and could live as they wished.
Javed Akhtar takes a dig at Zardari
Reacting to the statement on social media, Akhtar criticised Zardari and referred to his past as the husband of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Akhtar wrote that Zardari, who came into the spotlight after marrying Bhutto, had spoken about ‘tolerating’ the 3-4 percent Hindu population in Pakistan. He then took a subtle dig at Zardari by referring to the number 10.
Why did Javed Akhtar mention ‘10 percent’?
Akhtar’s reference to 10 percent was a dig at Zardari’s old nickname, ‘Mr Ten Percent’. The nickname became associated with allegations that Zardari demanded a 10 percent commission in government projects and business deals during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Zardari denied the allegations.
The nickname gained further attention after the government led by Benazir Bhutto was dismissed by then-President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1990.
Akhtar hits back at a Pakistani troll
While several people praised Akhtar for his response, some social media users criticised him and questioned whether he had ever spoken up for minorities in India.
One Pakistani user accused Akhtar of ignoring the problems faced by non-Hindus in India and criticised him personally.
Akhtar responded sharply, saying that the user’s first question showed how little they knew about him, while the final part of the comment showed ‘what your class is’.
Akhtar has criticised Pakistan before
This is not the first time Akhtar has made strong remarks about Pakistan.
‘I will choose hell over Pakistan’: On 17 May 2025, at the launch of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s book Narkatla Swarg in Mumbai, Akhtar made a strong statement about Pakistan. He said that if he had to choose between Pakistan and hell, he would choose hell.
‘Partition of India was wrong’: In 2023, while attending the Faiz Festival in Lahore, Akhtar said that the Partition of India was a historical mistake. He noted that Pakistan had been part of undivided India before 1947 and said people on both sides shared deep cultural roots. His remarks were applauded by some members of the Pakistani audience but also sparked controversy in the media in both countries.
‘Secularism is almost dead in Pakistan’: Akhtar has also criticised the state of secularism in Pakistan. During a discussion on India-Pakistan relations, he said that secularism had become largely symbolic and that religious fundamentalism had gained influence. He cited the condition of minorities as one reason for his concerns.
