MUMBAI: Veteran poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar says that restricting art in the name of culture damage is wrong and such things should not happen, neither in Pakistan nor India.

During a media interaction, Akhtar took issue with the recent controversy sparked by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar stating that the Supreme Court will not allow Indian content to be shown on Pakistani TV channels as it damages their culture.

Akhtar said, "This is all wrong, there shouldn't be any such talks coming from here, neither from there, as well.”

"There are so many good serials which come from there (Pakistan) and they should be able to telecast here but they don't, and our good programmes should be able to telecast there, and why should not they telecast over there and which culture is getting damaged? Neither theirs, nor our culture could get damaged," he added. 

Akhtar said that statements like these are wrong and the path of art should not be restricted.

He further said, "These are just talks and people keep on jabbering about something or the other, someone does not want Ghulam Ali to come to India, and people from Pakistan keep on saying something else, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle haven't been able to go to Pakistan.”

"In India people don't want Pakistani artistes, this is all wrong. As far as art and culture is concerned, whether people from Pakistan or from India, every avenue and path should be open for it," he told.

The event was organised by the Mijwan Welfare Society. 

(Source: IANS)