Zeba Bakhtiar gets talking on terrorism

Zeba Bakhtiar gets talking on terrorism
(NSI News Source Info) November 11, 2008 - Karachi: One of the initiators of Indo-Pak artist exchanges, Zeba Bakhtiar was among the very first Pakistani actors to have worked in Bollywood. Having played the title role opposite Rishi Kapoor in the hit Raj Kapoor film, Henna in 1991, Zeba is today part of Pakistan's first, citizen led anti-terrorism initiative."The message that I feel Yeh Hum Naheen carries and what I feel most strongly about is that the kind of cruelty that has been done in past few years with the bombings and the terrorist attacks all over the world could not be something that any one with a single human emotion in their mind or body could possibly do," says Zeba Bakhtiar.Just like her role in Henna, that came in times of icy diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan and paved the way for many artistic collaborations between the two countries, also initiating at the time a dialogue on cross border relations, this socially aware actress once again feels the need to make a difference.According to Zeba, "When I started working 20 years ago I never thought a day would come that I would have to face a camera to endorse the fact that I do not belong to a country of terrorists. I think its very important that every Pakistani and every person in the world who is in any country where any kind of terrorist movement or any terrorist attack has hit, comes out and says that they do agree with this. The kind of projection Pakistan and Islam have been given have been totally wrong. And I think now it is the responsibility of every person, every person alive in these countries and connected with this religion to come out and say that."And Zeba is not the only Pakistani celebrity voicing her stand against terrorism. Ex Fuzon singer Shafqat Ammanat Ali, who is also the voice behind the popular track Mitwa from the film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, Pakistan pop band and popular bollywood play back duo Strings and songstress Hadiqa Kiyani among many other well known Pakistani musicians have come together to voice the Yeh Hum Naheen theme song while a number of Pakistani television and film personalities have also chosen to endorse the anti terrorism campaign"Yeh Hum Naheen gives us a platform - a place where we can voice our feelings and come out as a force. We just want to be human beings, to live and let live, we want to support human lives and humanity in every way we can," says Zeba.