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Pakistani actress Mahira Khan. Image Credit: Gulf News Archives

Pakistan's celebs react

In the wake of escalating tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistani actress Mahira Khan says there is nothing uglier than a war, and hopes better sense will prevail.

"Nothing uglier. Nothing more ignorant than cheering for war. May sense prevail... Pakistan zindabad," Mahira, who starred in Bollywood film "Raees", tweeted.

Her tweet was a response to a thread on the Twitter wall of Fatima Bhutto, author and grand-daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck terror launch pads in Pakistan administered Kashmir on Tuesday. The IAF struck the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) at Balakot in Pakistan just days after a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF troopers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

In response to the IAF strike, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the country's armed forces and citizens to "remain prepared for all eventualities".

Mawra Hocane, who was seen in Indian film "Sanam Teri Kasam", feels it is time to put humanity first.

"It is time we understand this as humans. The media needs to take charge and stop being provocative. It's our duty to inculcate peace and use our words for better and not worse. Praying for peace always," she posted.

Actor Fahad Mustafa also hoped for peace, and said: "War does not determine who is right ...Only who is left. Say no to war."

While many wished for peace, there were some stars who reacted strongly.

Actor Hamza Ali Abbasi posted: "Balakot, well done India. Much improvement from the fake 'Surgical Strike' claim. This time yes IAF aircraft crossed LOC 4 to 6 miles at 2.55 a.m. and had to retreat at 2.59 a.m. due to PAF (Pakistan Air Force) scrambling, dropping the load on the way martyring our trees. But now, Pakistan must retaliate."

Taking a dig at a famous dialogue from Karan Johar's film "My Name Is Khan", Veena Malik said: "My Name is tree...And I'm not a Terrorist."

Reactions from India

"How's the josh? High sir!" -- the social media world was replete with Bollywood film dialogues which Indian netizens used to thump their chest with pride after Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck terror launch pads in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PoK) on Tuesday.

The IAF struck the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) at Balakot in Pakistan just days after a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF troopers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Moments after the news broke on the Internet, several users on Twitter used the popular dialogue "How's the josh?" from the latest release "Uri: The Surgical Strike", a cinematic take on what went behind the surgical strikes that India conducted on terror camps in Pakistan in 2016, just days after terrorists from Pakistan attacked a military base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir leaving 19 Indian soldiers dead.

Whether it was "How's the josh?" to a modified "How's the Jaish..." -- referring to the terror group JeM -- social media users got innovative as they dug out popular dialogues.

Bollywood producer and photographer Atul Kasbekar tweeted: "How's the Jaish... 'Dead sir'."

Some Twitteratis used the "Chak De! India" tagline from the 2007 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer sports drama, to cheer the IAF for the achievement.

There were memes for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy too.

Some social media users used the hook line "Apna time aayega" from actor Ranveer Singh's latest film based on Indian underground rappers. What the users meant was that after the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force showed their "josh", the Indian Navy is waiting for their chance.

A user tweeted: "Indian Army and Indian Air Force says 'hows the josh', but Indian Navy says 'Apna time aayega'."

Another wrote: "First Army, second IAF, Indian Navy -- 'Apna time aayega'. Surgical strike 2."

Another dialogue doing the rounds from the hit war film "Border", wherein actor Suniel Shetty made a poignant point.

"Hum toh kisi doosre ki dharti par nazar bhi nahi dalte. Lekin itne nalayak bachche bhi nahi hai ki koi hamari dharti Maa par nazar daale aur hum chup chaap dekhte rahein. (We don't look at someone else's land. But we are not so foolish that we let others violate our Motherland and we watch it in silence)."