Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum has stirred a political and cultural storm after draping an Indian flag around his shoulders during a concert in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The incident occurred while he was performing his diss track “Kaun Talha”, written in response to Indian rapper Naezy. A fan hurled an Indian tricolour toward the stage, which Anjum caught mid-air, waved, and then draped around himself — all while continuing his performance. The clip went viral almost instantly.

The gesture triggered strong reactions back home in Pakistan, where many criticised Anjum for being “provocative” and “reckless”, especially given the fragile state of India–Pakistan relations following the brief but intense four-day war in May.

The conflict, which followed the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, prompted India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, after which cultural exchanges collapsed.

Pakistani artists were banned across Indian platforms, and even sports diplomacy broke down, with Indian cricket teams pointedly refusing to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.

Against this backdrop, Anjum’s act was seen by many Pakistanis as a publicity stunt to reclaim Indian audiences amid ongoing music bans. Others hailed it as a call for peace and artistic freedom.

Responding to the uproar, Anjum issued a statement online:

“My heart has no place for hate. My art has no borders. If raising an Indian flag sparks controversy, so be it. I’ll do it again. I don’t care about media, governments, or propaganda. Urdu rap will always be borderless.”

Anjum, one half of the popular Karachi hip-hop duo Young Stunners, has been locked in a high-profile feud with Mumbai-based rapper Naezy (Naved Shaikh) since mid-2024.

The beef began during a podcast when Naezy was asked about collaborating with Pakistani artists and casually responded, “Kaun Talha?” — a remark Anjum interpreted as dismissive.

He soon released “Kaun Talha”, a hard-hitting, 4.5-minute diss track asserting his dominance in South Asian hip-hop.

Now, after Anjum’s Kathmandu gesture, Pakistani social media is overflowing with criticism and concern. One of the most widely shared reactions came from journalist Syed M Saad Ahsan, who posted on X:

“Talha Anjum is going to have a lot more than bottles thrown at him now.”