Javed And Shabana Cancel Visit T Karachi

India's renowned poet Javed Akhtar and his wife well-known actress Shabana Azmi have announced not to take part in Kaifi Azmi Literary Festival, Karachi, after an attack on Indian paramilitary soldiers took place yesterday at Pulwana.

Akhtar to Twitter and said, "Karachi art council had invited Shabana and me for a two day lit conference about Kaifi Azmi and his poetry. We have cancelled that. In 1965 during the indo Pak war Kaifi saheb had written a poem: ‘Aur Phir Krishan Ne Arjun Se Kaha’.”

Shabana and Akhtar were scheduled to attend a conference in Karachi in honour of the former’s father, the celebrated Indian Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi. The conference is scheduled from February 23 to 24 at the Arts Council of Karachi.

At least 44 Indian paramilitary soldiers were killed on Thursday in Srinagar-Jammu Highway in Awantipora area of Pulwama district. The soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off as a convoy of military vehicles drove by, some 20 kilometres from the main city of Srinagar.
The two-day event will take place on February 23 and 24 at the Karachi Arts Council. The festival will pay tribute to the renowned poet and many famous personalities from Pakistan and across the border have been invited to attend.