Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum has issued a public apology after a video of him waving the Indian flag during a concert in Kathmandu set off a storm of criticism back home. What started as just another high-energy performance quickly turned into one of the biggest talking points in Pakistan’s music circles this week — and honestly, it’s been messy.
The whole thing unfolded during his Nepal show when someone from the crowd handed him an Indian flag while he was performing Kaun Talha, a diss track aimed at Indian rapper Naezy. In the moment, without really thinking it through — his words, not mine — he took the flag, waved it, and even wrapped it around himself for a bit. That short clip spread across social media like wildfire. And you can imagine the reaction.
At first, Anjum didn’t back down. He posted online that his “art has no borders” and even suggested he’d do the same thing again if it upset people. That defiance only added fuel to the argument, especially at a time when even symbolic gestures involving India and Pakistan can get… well, very complicated, very fast.
But on Monday morning, something shifted. Appearing on the show Rise and Shine on 365 News, Anjum offered what felt like a much softer — and frankly more reflective — explanation. He said he grabbed the flag instinctively during the performance and didn’t realise how long he held on to it. Then he looked directly into the camera and apologised:
“To everybody whose heart has been hurt by any of my actions, I would like to apologise.”
He didn’t just stop there. He also tried to reassure his fans about where he stands.
“If you are not there, then I am not there. I am all because of Pakistan,” he said — a line that many viewers saw as an attempt to patch things up.
The backlash hasn’t been limited to social media, though. A Pakistani citizen has served Anjum a legal notice accusing him of hurting national sentiments and demanding a formal, unconditional apology. The notice even threatens an FIR if he doesn’t comply, which shows you just how heated this situation has become.
Reactions online are still split. Some people believe the whole thing was an innocent on-stage moment that snowballed into needless drama. Others feel an artist with Anjum’s influence should’ve been more careful, especially given how politically charged cross-border symbols can be between Pakistan and India.
But one thing is clear: this incident has pushed Talha Anjum into the centre of a much bigger conversation — about identity, nationalism, and the tricky space artists navigate when their work travels across borders. Whether his apology cools things down remains to be seen, but it does mark a noticeable shift from his earlier “I’d do it again” stance.
