This Is How Pakistani Celebrities Are Reacting To The Ongoing Tension Between India & Pakistan!

South Asians woke up to the news of a surgical strike by India in Balakot yesterday. Soon after, Twitter was flooded with hashtags from both sides of the border, further intensifying the tension between India and Pakistan.

Many Indian celebrities also took to Twitter to express their views following the Indian claims of “surgical strike” and disturbingly, they only added to the noise of war chants!

Jai Hind 🇮🇳 @IAF_MCC

— Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) February 26, 2019

Respect @IAF_MCC Indian Air Force… Jai ho !!!

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) February 26, 2019

Mess with the best, die like the rest. Salute #IndianAirForce.@narendramodi.

— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) February 26, 2019

“The Force Is With You” @narendramodi ji.🙌
Respect to @IAF_MCC ✊.#HowsTheJosh 👊#StopTerrorism 🖐#JaiHind 🇮🇳✌️ pic.twitter.com/x4RCzoPFNy

— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) February 26, 2019

Our niceness should never be comprehended as our weakness.
I salute the IAF, Jai Hind 🇮🇳

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 26, 2019

I am an Indian journalist who cut my teeth reporting war from the front line. I have no faux neutrality about my country being engaged in a decades old low grade war by Pakistan backed terror groups. My full support to @IAF_MCC for this. This is not war mongering. Its justice https://t.co/CQQcoxrCEA

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 26, 2019

Jai Hind #IndianArmedForces 🇮🇳 🙏🏽

— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) February 26, 2019

Such war-hailing responses from influential Indians who happen to be on the liberal side of the spectrum came as a shock and while Pakistani people resorted to a meme-war, it was the Pakistani celebrities who showed a very mature and responsible behavior towards the growing tension between India and Pakistan. 

There is nothing uglier than people cheering for war.

— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) February 26, 2019

Don’t worry about war my fellow Pakistanis, my 4 year old has it covered. pic.twitter.com/NEFxvPffDT

— Shaheryar Mirza (@mirza9) February 26, 2019

There is nothing uglier when people don’t cheer for freedom..

— Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) February 26, 2019

Nothing uglier. Nothing more ignorant than cheering for war. May sense prevail.. Pakistan zindabad. https://t.co/sH0VGGAERC

— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) February 26, 2019

“There can be NO winners in war if we value Human Life at all.“
Christopher Holliday.
It’s time we understand this as humans.The media needs to take charge & stop being provocative. It’s our duty to inculcate peace & use our words for better & not worse.
Praying for peace always!

— MAWRA HOCANE (Hussain) (@MawraHocane) February 26, 2019

For the record, I have a 20 year career exclusively from my Pakistani songs. I have nothing to gain from India nor am I on any payroll. But I know what matters in this world and that is peace and understanding. NO human life is worth losing.

— Hadiqa Kiani (@Hadiqa_Kiani) February 26, 2019

We need peace! We need words! We need to grow and not regress! There is nothing exciting or spectacular about war, we are talking about REAL HUMAN lives 😔🙏🏼

— Hadiqa Kiani (@Hadiqa_Kiani) February 26, 2019

War Does Not DEtermine who is right ..Only who is left
Say no to war🙏🇵🇰

— Fahad Mustafa (@fahadmustafa26) February 26, 2019

Anyone who is encouraging war between Pakistan and India should be taken out of their house and be forced to fight the war themselves. Tweet karna bohat asaan hai, but for once think of the all the soldiers that die unnecessarily because of this. #PakistanZindabad 🇵🇰

— Zaid Ali (@Za1d) February 26, 2019

India s belligerence has threatened the peace and security of not only #Pakistan but the entire region. Pakistan today stands United as one against #Modi s India that has shown the world that it is willing to go to any extent to win elections. Dangerous, irresponsible precedent. https://t.co/k2OKy7K2Z6

— Hina R Khar (@HinaRKhar) February 26, 2019

https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1100308095253778432

I totally agree with this. Seeing bollywood hashtag death, destruction is just disgusting. These guys arent artists, they are corporate machines that sway where the wind blows. https://t.co/11jgYRVE1Q

— Mansha Pasha (@manshapasha) February 26, 2019

Praying for all our troops placed on the Easter border & all citizens who live near it. This time isn't easy for families across border either. Hope ppl of India realise how their government's self serving war hysteria has made the region unstable. May Allah bless us with peace

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) February 26, 2019

That said, things have only worsened between the two countries since then, a major proof of which is the news that was broken a few hours ago about the PAF taking 2 down IAF jets and arresting the Indian pilots.

Moments ago, Pakistan, in an effort to display its will to retaliate, gunned down 2 Indian jets that violated the former’s airspace. While the development has only added to the air of uncertainty and fear in the two countries, the only silver lining right now is the sane reaction of Pakistani celebrities to the Budgam incident, unlike their Indian counterparts.

Here’s what they are saying about the rising tension between India and Pakistan following the Budgam defense.

https://twitter.com/HNadim87/status/1100654042840215552

DGISPR lays it out as it is “There are no winners in Wars. Humanity only loses”. 👍 #No2ModiWar

— Najma Minhas Pirzada (@MinhasNajma) February 27, 2019

Even after arrest of 2 Indian pilots, Pakistan still talks about peace. Let's end this madness before it gets out of control.

— Mansoor Ali Khan (@_Mansoor_Ali) February 27, 2019

Peace, Not war! Peace, Not war! Peace, Not war!

But still if you don't get it then get ready! #PakistanStrikesBack#PakistanZindabad

— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) February 27, 2019

“ Both countries have the capability & capacity but War means failure of policy. We dont want to escalate. “ – @OfficialDGISPR

— Maria Memon (@Maria_Memon) February 27, 2019

https://twitter.com/ArmeenaRK/status/1100661303574704130

Scary. https://t.co/wBm5V0EgwQ

— Maheen Khan (@Maheenkhanpk) February 27, 2019

https://twitter.com/TheRealHaroon/status/1100647611600683010

Needless to say, the current crisis has left bare the deeply rooted jingoism in India’s DNA where even the likes of Barkha Dutt are celebrating war.

Having said that, highly calculated and pacifying responses from Pakistani celebs has brought home a ray of hope and thus, they should be applauded for using their power to condemn war-mongering. 

As common citizens pray for de-escalation, we hope that better sense and peace prevail!