Pakistan govt clears Javed Akhtar's visit

New Delhi, June 24: After initially denying permission to Javed Akhtar to visit Pakistan for the premiere of Mughal-e-Azam, Pakistani Government late tonight gave its go-ahead to the visit of the veteran writer.

Sources in the Sterling investiment corporation, the negative right holders of 'Mughal-e-Azam', told UNI that they had, late this evening, recieved a communication from the Pakistan high Commission that Javed's visa had been cleared.

However, since the offices of the commission were closed on Saturday and Sunday, Javed would get his visa only on Monday.

''We have, late this evening recieved a communication from the Pakistani High Commission that Javedsahib's visa had been cleared.

However, since their offices are closed tomorrow and on Sunday, he will get his visa only on Monday,''Mr Dipesh Salgia of the Sterling investment corporation said.

He said that fresh dates for the premiere could be decided only after the writer gets his visa.

The Pakistani authorities had earlier in the day denied visa to Javed Akhtar, which led Akbar Asif, son of the late K Asif, to announce postponement of the premiere, scheduled to be held in Karachi tomorrow.

Expressing elation at the news that Pakistani government had cleared the visa of Javed Akhtar, Akbar Asif said,''if Javedsahib is willing to go to Pakistan, we will happily go with him for the grand premiere of 'Mughal-E-Azam' in Karachi. The idea was always to build a cultural bridge between India and Pakistan'' Akbar Asif, son of the legendary maker K Asif had made grand preparations for ushering the 60s classic into Pakistan in a big way tomorrow.

So while the April premiere of the film, starring the late Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in the roles of Emperor Akbar, Prince Salim and his beloved Anarkali, was a low key affair, attended by select government officials and socialites, arrangements were made for 'Mughal-e-Azam''s premiere at a star-studded function in Pakistan tomorrow, scheduled to be attended by Bollywood stars like the 90s Bollywood diva Sridevi, Saif Ali Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea, Ayesha Takia, Neha Dhupia and Amrita Arora.

A charity dinner for the earthquake victims in Pakistan was also to be held on the occasion.

UNI