As political and military tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, cultural exchanges have once again come under fire. Pakistani singer Hasan Raheem recently opened up on social media, alleging that Indian artists were pressured not to work with him—a situation he claims began long before the latest round of hostilities.
In a candid Instagram story, Raheem expressed his disappointment over the growing divide, questioning the roots of such hostility.
The artist asked, pointing out that Pakistan has endured just as much loss and violence as India:
“Where does this hate come from?”
He added:
“Many Pakistani mothers have lost their children to war too.”
His comments came in the wake of India’s late-night military strike on Pakistan, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians and left 46 others injured. According to reports, Pakistan responded by downing five Indian fighter jets and destroying an Indian brigade headquarters and checking post along the Line of Control (LoC).
Hasan Raheem’s remarks also shed light on the long-standing ban on Pakistani artists in India, a ban that has impacted stars like Hania Aamir and Fawad Khan, both of whom were involved in Bollywood projects prior to being blacklisted.
Raheem wrote in a separate story, seemingly calling out India’s actions and its stance on artistic freedom and collaboration:
“Last night, the world’s eyes were opened to how moral and democratic our neighbouring country is.”
The controversy reflects the broader fallout of geopolitical conflict on arts and culture, with calls from both sides to reconsider the role of artists in peace-building versus propaganda.
