Actor Anupam Kher, who has been quite vocal in defending his country over the ongoing intolerance debate and has received a fair share of flak from fellow actors for his snarky comments, was scheduled to attend the upcoming Karachi Literature Festival for a live chat session, this coming Sunday. However, the actor has been denied visa to enter into Pakistan.
Actor Anupam Kher, who has been quite vocal in defending his country over the ongoing intolerance debate and has received a fair share of flak from fellow actors for his snarky comments, was scheduled to attend the upcoming Karachi Literature Festival for a live chat session, this coming Sunday. However, the actor has been denied visa to enter into Pakistan.
“I have been informed that Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied permission for my visa to participate in the Karachi Literature Festival,” Kher announced on Twitter following the news. A total of 18 Indians including actress Nandita Das and author Barkha Dutt were expected to cross borders for KLF 2016. While 17 people have been granted access, Kher has been barred from entry.
Ever since the news broke out, Kher has been active on Twitter spewing venom and accusing Pakistan of discouraging free dialogue. “Has my visa been denied because I speak about India’s rich tradition of tolerance or I am a Kashmiri Pandit who may expose Pak terror nexus?” Kher questioned adding, “Indian govt. welcomes Pakistan-based writers, artists, actors etc. Pakistan govt. bans entry of Indian actors. Why fear a free dialogue?”
It appears that this is the second time Kher has been denied Pakistani visa in the past 12 months. But in a rare turn of events, the Pakistan High Commission has claimed that Kher never applied for a visa in the first place and so there is no question of denying it. “He has not submitted a visa application. Please check from him if he has any receipt,” Pakistan High Commission spokesperson Manzoor Ali Memon said, according to NDTV.
Upon hearing this, Kher has stated that he will provide proof about his application at a press conference later in the day.
Kher had been embroiled in a number of controversies in the recent past thanks to his crude statements and it would have been interesting for Pakistani media to hear them from the man himself. However, those who had zeroed in on the session will now have to look for a better alternative on that day.