Raza Murad says Indian astronaut first read Allama Iqbal’s couplet in space

‘Saare jahan se achha Hindustan humara,’ Allama Iqbal’s poetry was the first piece that was read out in space by the first Indian Astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. This was said in response to then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi about how India looked from up there. Raza Murad, Indian actor told this to the journalists at an event organised by the Pakistan Film and TV Journalists Association in his honour at the Karachi Press Club on Monday.

Mr Murad said he was “dumbfounded” and “overwhelmed” by the welcome he had received in Pakistan, especially in Karachi. He said he had just been to a TV show hosted by Dr Aamir Liquat Husain and was pleasantly surprised to know that the host knew more about his life and career than his wife did.  He himself recited quite a few poems on the occasion to express his gratitude, beginning with a Sahir Ludhyanvi poem ‘Main to kuchh bhi nahin hun’.

He further said he would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for visiting Lahore for two hours like someone visited his family. He said the PM knew that he would be criticised for his trip but still went on with it and as per Indian tradition touched the feet of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s mother. He was also all praise for another Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for coming to Lahore by bus. He said Mr Vajpayee was a poet as well and recited his poem ‘Jang na honay deingey’.

Mr Murad said the people of India and Pakistan wanted the relations between both counties to improve. He said in one of the recently held Asia Cup T20 matches, Indian batsman Virat Kohli appreciated the way Mohammad Aamir bowled at him, although Aamir was trying to bowl him out. When asked to comment on upcoming Pakistan and India match on March 19^th, he said that we should take it only as a cricket match and not as a war; he wished both the teams luck.

Replying to a question after the event on his fellow Indian actor Anupam Kher’s stance on the award returnees in India, Mr Murad said in a democracy everyone had the right to say what they felt. Anupam Kher was entitled to his opinion as much as the award returnees were to theirs.

Answering another question, Mr Murad said despite differences diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan were not disrupted. He said Modi’s intentions were good (niyyat achhi hai). He said there were 85 per cent Hindus in India, and yet Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan were the most popular actors in the country.

Earlier, Mr Murad’s daughter Ayesha addressed journalists. She said her father had been to Pakistan before, but this time round he had come because of her. She said she used to tell him that she would like to see Pakistan, and now that she’s here she was of the opinion that if there was an Olympic medal for hospitality, Pakistanis should get it.