Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who identifies as a cine worker and artist, seeking a complete ban on Pakistani artists in India.
The petition specifically called for a prohibition on the employment, solicitation of work, or collaboration with Pakistani cine workers, musicians, singers, lyricists, and technicians by Indian citizens and companies.
The division bench comprising Justices Sunil Shukre and Firdosh Pooniwalla, categorically rejected the plea.
“A true patriot is a person who is selfless, who is devoted to the cause of his country, which he cannot be unless he is a person who is good at heart. A person who is good at heart would welcome in his country any activity which promotes peace, harmony, and tranquillity within the country and across the border,” it said.
Arts, music, sports, culture, dance and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures and nations and truly bring about peace, tranquillity, unity and harmony in nation and between nations, the bench said in the order.
It noted that in the cricket World Cup being held in India, the cricket team from Pakistan is taking part and this has happened only because of appreciable positive steps taken by the Government of India in the interest of overall peace and harmony in consonance with Article 51 of the Constitution of India which is about promotion of international peace and security.
