Culture can restore confidence between India, Pak: Javed Akhtar
16th July 2001
17.27 IST
By ApunKaChoice Bureau
India and Pakistan can resolve Kashmir and other contentious issues only through restoration of mutual confidence and this can be facilitated through greater cultural exchanges, lyricist Javed Akhtar has said.
''Culture is the key towards improving ties between any two countries. Kashmir can be described as the core issue for restoration of ties between India and Pakistan, but once cultural relations normalize, all other things will automatically follow,'' he said during a TV discussion on the expectations from the Agra summit.
He disagreed with the notion that there had been no exchange of artistes between the two countries. India, he felt, had so far been more forthcoming in welcoming artistes from across the border than Pakistan.
However, efforts in this direction have not been substantial, he said adding that greater cultural exchange programmes were the need of the hour.
Akhtar was of the view that allowing screening of Hindi films and sale of Indian music in Pakistan will help curb the menace of piracy. ''Indian music and films are a craze in Pakistan and their pirated cassettes have been on sale in various parts of that country, he said.''
India and Pakistan can resolve Kashmir and other contentious issues only through restoration of mutual confidence and this can be facilitated through greater cultural exchanges, lyricist Javed Akhtar has said.