Javed Akhtar slams Pakistan President Zardari over Hindu minority remarks

Indian screenwriter Javed Akhtar has criticized Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari following remarks made during Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations. In a video address, Zardari stated that Pakistan and its Muslim majority ‘tolerate’ the country’s Hindu population, which he estimated at 3–4 percent. Zardari further claimed that Hindus in Pakistan are as free as anywhere else and would ‘rather be with us than be with them’ in India.

Responding on X, Akhtar called the President’s comments insensitive. He mocked Zardari using the nickname ‘Mr Ten Percent’—a reference to historical corruption allegations—noting that the President appeared particularly insensitive to any group constituting less than 10 percent of a population.

Former diplomat K P Fabian also criticized the remarks, arguing that the need for the President to discuss ‘tolerance’ highlights the suffering of minorities in Pakistan. Fabian noted that Zardari’s claims contrast with data from the Pew Research Centre, which suggested the Hindu population was as low as 2.1 percent, and cited UN reports regarding the treatment of minorities in the country.