Javed Akhtar rebukes Pakistan's president for describing Hindu minority as merely tolerated

At a ceremony marking Pakistan’s Independence Day, President Asif Ali Zardari remarked that the nation “tolerates” its Hindu minority, which makes up about 3-4 percent of the population. Indian screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar took to X to denounce the comment, labeling Zardari as “insensitive” and referencing the president’s longstanding nickname “Mr Ten Per Cent.” Akhtar’s tweet suggested that Zardari’s language downplays the status of Hindus in Pakistan.

The exchange was highlighted after a video clip was broadcast by a news channel. Akhtar also alluded to Zardari’s past allegations of demanding a ten-percent commission in government projects, a claim Zardari has denied. The incident adds to the broader discourse on minority rights and political rhetoric in South Asia. Akhtar’s sharp rebuke reflects heightened sensitivity around religious tolerance narratives.