 Veteran Indian actor Feroz Khan was banned by Pakistan yesterday from returning to Pakistan after officials said he had insulted the country during a visit to promote a film.
| "Pakistan? It's ugly, man. No sense of style, y'know? And it smells funny." |
Interior Ministry officials said the presidentÂ’s directive had been sent to all the airports, seaports and railway stations not to allow entry to Feroz to Pakistan.
| "Calling all cars! Be on the lookout for an Indian actor making fun of Pakistan! That is all!" |
The directive has also been sent to all the PakistanÂ’s embassies and consulates directing them not to grant visa to Feroz Khan.
| "Calling all diplomats!..." |
President Musharraf took this decision after receiving a report from Dubai where actor Feroz Khan was a guest and the show was being anchored by Pakistani singer and actor Fakhar-e-Aalam. It was reported that the actor criticized the two-nation theory when he was called on to the dais.
| "Well, y'see, on the one hand, y'got India, with all sorts of different people, all stirred together in a great, big, spicy pot. The army stays in its barracks except for when it's beating up invading Pakistanis or Chinese, and civilians run things, and it's getting to be a pretty successful country. On the other hand, y'got Pakistan. It's all Muslims, and they spend all their time bumping each other off or setting fire to their wives. The army's been running things for years, it's never won a war, and they've made the place into a backwater of ignorance and brutality. Every time I start thinking our government's corrupt, I think of Pakistan and Bangladesh, and then I feel better." |
Feroze had also said Muslims were better off in India than in Pakistan at a show business function in Lahore last month to promote the Bollywood epic, Taj Mahal, produced and directed by his brother.
| "We have occasional fistfights, but usually we get along, since we're a secular state. Most of the ignorance and brutality comes from Maoists, though we do get the continual spillover from the Muslim states to the east and west of us." |
“He abused our hospitality. He made derogatory remarks, which are unacceptable,” said Tasnim Aslam, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman.
| "Whether they're true or not! Which, of course, they aren't. Really." |
A senior official, who requested anonymity said President Pervez Musharraf had personally ordered the ban. |