In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of India turned down a plea that called for a ban on Indian visas for Pakistani artists, advising the petitioner not to harbour a “narrow-minded” approach.

The petitioner, Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who works in the film industry, had initially taken the matter to the Bombay High Court, but the plea was dismissed last month.

As reported by Indian Express, Qureshi’s plea asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to issue official notifications preventing Indian citizens or companies from collaborating with Pakistani artists, including those in cinema, music, and other creative fields.

On Tuesday (28 November), the appeal reached the Supreme Court, where Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V N Bhatti advised Qureshi not to press the plea.

Later, Justice Khanna remarked on some comments in the Bombay High Court order, saying, “Sorry, do not do this. This is a good lesson for you. Do not be so narrow-minded.”

The plea had argued that Indian artists face challenges when trying to work in the Pakistani film industry, unlike Pakistani artists who find a more favourable atmosphere in India.