ISLAMABAD: Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum became the focus of a social media storm over the weekend after the Karachi Chal artist wore an Indian flag during a live show in Nepal.
The moment spread quickly online, sparking fierce arguments and dividing audiences. Talha later addressed the issue on the 365 News morning show Rise and Shine with hosts Nadia Khan and Zohaib Hassan.
In the clip that triggered the backlash, a fan handed him an Indian flag while he was performing, and he was seen waving it before placing it around his shoulders.
Many viewers saw the act as inappropriate, given the strained relations between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Anjum explained that the situation felt very different while he was on stage. “I was performing Kaun Talha, my diss track aimed at Indian rapper Naezy, when an Indian fan handed me a flag,” he said. “In the heat of the moment, I took it.
It was respectfully handed to me. I understood it as a sign of support from the crowd, despite the song’s target.”
When Nadia Khan pointed out that he could have simply set the flag aside, Anjum admitted he did not realize how long he had held it, saying that the energy of the performance kept him from noticing how it looked.
His apology followed several days of online criticism. At first, Anjum defended his actions, saying he would “do it again” and claiming that his music goes beyond boundaries.
On X, he wrote: “If my raising an Indian flag sparks controversy, so be it. I’ll do it again… will never care about the media, the war-mongering governments and their propaganda. Urdu rap is and will always be borderless.”
However, during the show, he made it clear that he now regrets it. “To everyone whose heart has been hurt by any of my actions, I sincerely apologize. My success is all because of Pakistan. Everywhere I go, they call me the finest Pakistani rapper,” he said.
In another setting, his gesture might have been viewed as a sign of cross-border goodwill. But with current Pakistan–India relations tense, reactions were swift.
Since the May conflict, cultural exchanges have nearly stopped, Indian platforms have removed Pakistani songs, Pakistani celebrities have had their social media access restricted, and Indian fans often use VPNs to listen to Pakistani content.
Even cricket has been affected, with reports of Indian players refusing post-match handshakes with their Pakistani opponents.