Letter to Javed Akhtar — Hell, it seems, has better manners

The write-up has been submitted by Iqbal Latif. Forensic Watcher of War, Not Warlord of Fiction. An advocate of Peace Through Reason. Defender of facts in a region addicted to theatrics.

Dear Javed Akhtar,

If you’ve chosen hell over Pakistan, as you so theatrically declared—then the least you could do is not be so ungrateful to the people who once welcomed you with open arms in that very “hell.”

The remark at a recent event, you said:

“One side tells me you are a ‘kaafir’ and you will go to ‘jahannum’ (hell), and the other side says you are a jihadi and should go to Pakistan.

Now, if these are my only two choices, I would prefer to go to hell.”

A neat soundbite—perfect for applause in jingoistic studios. But let’s talk about the “hell” you so casually defamed.

A Reminder from Lahore. In that very “hell,” at the Faiz Festival in Lahore, you weren’t just a guest—you were revered.

Adeel Hashmi, grandson of Faiz Ahmad Faiz, bowed before you, kissed your feet, and said:

“I wish you were my father.”

That’s not a scene from hell. That’s a level of intellectual reverence few are afforded—even in the “heaven” you prefer.

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You walked the streets of Lahore, a city where:

You saw no slums hidden behind plastic partitions, as they were during Trump’s visit to Ahmedabad.

You saw no curated poverty—our poor are not hidden.

You experienced a city as it is—not staged for optics.

And then you made a crass remark about poverty being hidden. That wasn’t wit—it was envy cloaked in sarcasm, a poor insult to a society that treated you with dignity.

You Spoke Freely—And Were Applauded

You stood on a stage in Pakistan and:

Criticized Pakistan

Mentioned the Mumbai attacks

Delivered sharp critiques

And how did we respond?

We listened

We clapped

We honored you

You weren’t shouted down. You weren’t called a traitor. You weren’t boycotted.

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Now, ask yourself honestly:

Could you say even half as much in Ahmedabad?

Could you condemn RSS for 2002, or challenge the RSS for rewriting Gandhi’s death?

Would you be invited back?

You and I both know the answer.

A literary man, or a jingoist?

And then came your “Aar ya Paar” moment:

“This time it must be aar ya paar with Pakistan.”

Do those words suit a man of letters? Or are they the echoes of a TV anchor playing soldier?

“Aar ya paar” is not poetry. It’s rhetorical war-mongering.

It mirrors the RSS’s call for Akhand Bharat, not the voice of a writer seeking reconciliation.

You’ve gone from “Kaun kehta hai ke maut aayi to mar jaoonga” to issuing slogans indistinguishable from hate-peddlers.

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The Country Where You Must Prove Your Loyalty—Daily

In India, you are forced to prove your loyalty every single day—not because of what you’ve done, but because of who you are.

You’re called a jihadi.

You’re told to “go to Pakistan.”

You’re asked to constantly declare your allegiance.

Your words are filtered through suspicion.

Your religion is seen as your disqualification.

Pakistan never asked you to prove your worth.

India never lets you stop.

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So, Javed Sahib…

If you still choose “hell”—that is your right.

But at least acknowledge the profound irony:

That the “hell” you mocked gave you respect, space, and freedom, while the “heaven” you defend daily tests your loyalty—and still doubts you.

Hell, it seems, has better manners.

Warm regards,

Iqbal Latif

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The write-up has been submitted by Iqbal Latif. Forensic Watcher of War, Not Warlord of Fiction. An advocate of Peace Through Reason. Defender of facts in a region addicted to theatrics.

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