Music and politics should not be mixed: Javed Bashir

New Delhi: Pakistani playback singer Javed Ali, reacting to the cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai, says politics should be kept away from music.

The Pakistani ghazal singer's show in Mumbai was scrapped last week following Shiv Sena's threat to disrupt it.

"According to me, politics is being mixed with music and the two are not related to each other at all. Like, I am performing tomorrow but I have Indian musicians with me.

"Indian artists have fans in my country and Pakistani artists like Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan and others are loved here. I don't think that love will ever get lost. So, I feel politics should be kept away from music. This is my request," Javed told PTI.

Javed, who has lent his voice to hit Bollywood songs like "Mera Yaar" and "Tera Naam Japdi Phiran", is set to perform here at an event "Building Bridges of Peace" tomorrow at Indian Habitat 

Centre, being organised by Routes2Roots.

Javed, 42, is happy to be performing in India and he feels cultural exchange is the only hope for situations to get better between the two nations.

"I am very happy to be in India because there is only one border, which separates the two countries, otherwise we all are same. Coming to Delhi feels like being at home. Also the situation right now is critical.

"The credits goes to Rakesh Gupta from Routest2Roots (organiser) that he is bringing artists from both the nations together on stage. This is the only hope left to send the message of peace..." he said.

Javed now plans to bring out an album that will see the collaboration of artistes from both sides of the border.

"People will be hearing me a lot in Bollywood songs in the near future. I am also working on an album, for which I am searching for a singer in India. The album would be about peace between two countries."