The Bombay High Court has ruled against a petition that aimed to ban Pakistani artists from working or performing in India and observed that in order to be a patriot, one does not need to be inimical to those from abroad, especially from the neighbouring country.
The plea was filed by Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who claims to be a cine worker. It demanded that the Indian government ban any form of professional association with artists from Pakistan.
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 court, however, dismissed the plea, saying that there was no evidence to support the claim that Pakistani artists pose a security threat.
The court also said that banning Pakistani artists would be a violation of their right to freedom of expression.
“One must understand that in order to be a patriot, one need not be inimical to those from abroad especially, from the neighbouring country,” the court said.
“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.
The court also brought up the issue of Pakistan’s cricket team’s involvement in the current World Cup in India. It hailed the Indian government’s proactive measures to allow so, in accordance with Article 51 of the Indian Constitution, which fosters global peace and security.
