‘Don’t be so narrow-minded’: Supreme Court on plea to ban Indian visas for Pakistani artists

The Supreme Court on Tuesday junked a plea to ban Indian visas for Pakistani artists with advice to the petitioner not to be “so narrow-minded”.

Appellant Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, a cine worker, had initially moved the Bombay High Court which rejected his plea last month. In his plea, Qureshi had sought a direction to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to issue appropriate statutory notifications to ban Indian citizens or firms engaging with Pakistani artists including cine workers, singers, musicians, lyricists, and technicians.

On Tuesday, Qureshi’s appeal came up before a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V N Bhatti which initially told him not to press the plea.

Story continues below this ad

Read | Bombay High Court’s ‘salaam’ to art without borders

Qureshi’s counsel referred to some critical remarks in the Bombay High Court order but Justice Khanna said “Sorry, do not do this. This is a good lesson for you. Do not be so narrow-minded”.

Seeking relief, the plea said Indian artists wanting to work in the Pakistani film industry do not get a similar favourable atmosphere as Pakistani artists working in India.