Pakistan declares Salman Khan ‘terrorist’ for naming Balochistan as separate country

The Pakistan government has declared the Bollywood superstar Salman Khan a terrorist, citing his recent remark on Balochistan.

According to reports, a notification issued by the government of Pakistan has listed him as a terrorist under Schedule 4 of its 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act.

The development follows Salman Khan’s recent appearance at an event, ‘Joy Forum 2025’ in Riyadh. At the event, he was joined by fellow Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan to discuss the rising popularity of Indian cinema in the Middle East. During the discussion, Salman reportedly referred to Balochistan and Pakistan as separate entities.

He reportedly said, “Right now, if you make a Hindi film and release it here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. If you make a Tamil, Telugu, or Malayali film, it will do hundreds of crores in business because so many people from other countries have come here. There are people from Balochistan, there are people from Afghanistan, there are people from Pakistan... Everyone is working here.”

While Khan’s comment has sparked a strong reaction from the Pakistani government, Baloch separatist leaders like Mir Yar Baloch expressed their gratitude, saying the actor’s mention brought joy to six crore Baloch people. He lauded Salman for taking a stand that many nations avoid, describing it as a significant act of soft diplomacy that underscores global acknowledgment of Balochistan as a separate entity.