Ali Azmat Music Video: Kalashnifolk
Adam Ellick, a fantastic video journalist, has covered a wide range of topics related to Pakistan – from the issue of Swat to the sex toy industry to the issue of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Karachi. Yesterday, the NY Times released another video report entitled, “Tuning Out the Taliban,” in which Ellick discusses why Pakistan’s music stars have yet to sing out against the Taliban, despite journalists, playwrights, and even moderate Islamic clerics condemning the militant organization. In his accompanying blog post, Ellick wrote,
…in a nation where the West is often the villain, television stations and big businesses have little economic or political incentive to put their name on a musician with an anti-Taliban platform.The result is a surge of bubble-gum stars who have become increasingly politicized. Some are churning out ambiguous, cheery lyrics urging their young fans to act against the nation’s woes. Others simply vilify the United States.
The brothers behind the rock band Noori, told Ellick, “First of all, it is the West that is against the Taliban because it is very heavily affected by it…we are not.” Such a statement is ironic given how many Pakistanis have been impacted by the continuous bombings and violence in the country. In fact, more than 200 girls’ schools have been destroyed by Taliban-perpetrated bombings. When probed on the bombing of girls’ schools, musician Ali Azmat came up with an answer that was frankly disgusting: “You cannot blame the Taliban for that, where do you think the funding is coming from…it’s the agenda of the neocons to de-Islamicize Pakistan…”
Ellick’s video is interesting because it raises some important points. First, as role models for the country’s younger generation, do musicians have a responsibility to come out against the Taliban? We have seen the power of celebrity elsewhere in the world, with stars like Bono raising awareness about AIDS or Angelina Jolie acting as the UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. Whether or not Pakistani musicians care to accept it, their messages have a profound impact on the youth of the country. Columnist Fasi Zaka said in the video, “When they don’t think the Taliban is the problem, the reason is because they’re convinced that we Pakistanis could never be like that, that we’re peaceful people, and that it must be the Indians, Americans, Israelis. If that’s being mimicked by pop stars then that’s a significant problem because it’s reinforcing the wrong view.”
Zaka’s statement raises my second point regarding the power of celebrity in Pakistan. The songs and themes released by these musicians are not just a reflection of their own personal views, they are a reflection of public opinion as a whole. According to a recently administered poll conducted by Gallup Pakistan [via the Zeitgeist Politics], while 51% of those surveyed in the country support the military’s offensive in South Waziristan, most still do not believe it is only Pakistan’s problem. Instead, when asked whether the war was in the American interest, the Pakistani interest, or both, 39% still view the operation as America’s war.
Given the increasingly high anti-American sentiment in the country – a phenomenon exacerbated by U.S. drone strikes in the region – such views may be misguided but they are not surprising. The problem occurs, though, when Pakistani music stars link this sentiment to conspiracies in their songs. In the Azmat song, Klashinfolk, the singer “omits a stream of anti-Western conspiracy theories.” He told Ellick, “We know for a fact that all this turbulation in Pakistan is not us, it’s an outside hand.” Columnist Nadim Paracha asserted, “You talk to a musician over here, you say whats the problem, he won’t come up with a fantastic insightful answer for you…he’ll come up with the most rhetorical, most cliched crap.”
I am attaching Ellick’s report below, and I’ll leave you with one question, “At a time when the very state of Pakistan is under threat, is it the responsibility of all citizens – especially celebrities – to speak out against the Taliban, even if it means putting their own lives at risk?”
CHUP! - Changing Up Pakistan 
This article brings about a very interesting argument, and at the risk of sounding sympathetic to the aforementioned musicians, I just want to probe the other side of the story. Musicians in Pakistan are a far cry away from multi-millionaire celeb-cum-philanthropists like Bono and Angelina Jolie, which means they cannot afford to be dropped from record labels, endorsements, and especially lose their fan bases. This is exactly what started to happen to Shehzad Roy (according to the video) after he produced “Laga Reh”. So the question is, if Ali Azmat or Noori start producing anti-Taliban material that, although may be morally just and required, causes them to lose deals, sponsors and fans; are they still obligated to keep doing that?
What I am trying to get at is that our celebs are only as famous and influential as we the public want them to be. If their work makes them unpopular, what good does that do to them? Subsequently, they may also lose the ability to influence us positively in any regard. The only way for them to produce the sort of material that we are talking about is if the public ‘rewards’ them for it. We should all stand by the likes of Shehzad Roy when he is threatened to be dropped by his sponsors. We should tell the musicians that we want to hear anti-Taliban songs, and that we will not buy into the conspiracy theories that they at belting out!
It’s all about supply and demand….simple economics! 😉
have you seen ali azmat’s show ‘Iqbal ka Pakistan’…. the guy is a complete lunatic
[…] Taliban,” in which Ellick discusses why Pakistan’s music […] Read more at: CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan ali azmat, bombings, bubble gum, drug resistant tuberculosis, islamic clerics, militant […]
Great post kals. I found a interesting article related to this topic. It is not just the celebs in Pakistan that are under this illusion but the masses as well. The article below says it best: “What else can one expect from a society living in a curiously delusional state of denial, gleefully mistaking it as ‘patriotism’ and ‘concern.’”
http://blog.dawn.com/2009/11/12/a-nation-of-sleepwalkers/
If Pakistanis have serious dislike for the “West” then we should refuse the aid coming into Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s entire economy is solely based on this aid. This is not just my sentiment our leading economists share the same views. Below is an old article but sheds some insight into the matter
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7636380.stm
Our prescription for economic growth is to wait for others to bail us out because as a nation there is no pride or ego. But pride and ego kicks in violently when the west meddles in our affairs.
WE don’t accept the aid, the government does. We the public see very little of the aid and have not seen any tangible benefits (infrastucture, security, power, education, poverty reduction etc.). Therefore, the dislike for the “West” should not really be that surprising. The drone attacks have resulted in horrible PR (given the lack of accuracy and loss of civilian life that has been reported over and over again in the local media). Click on drone attacks on this site and take a look @ the statistics. http://www.pakistanbodycount.org/
I understand that Pakistanis as people didn’t accept the aid. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this aid is a requirement to keep the country afloat. Unless you think otherwise, I am curious to know your thoughts?
The public doesn’t see the benefits of this aid is a whole different topic of discussion.
As for the drone attacks, I condemn them as much as you do. However, suicide bombings have killed far more people than the drones (evident from the link you provided). So why is the attention fully focused on the West? Majority of suicide bombings are carried out by Pakistanis fundamentalist, or is that not the case?
Great post Kalsoom!
My biggest problem with this report was the number of inaccuracies it had – which led it to look like Adam Ellick had just jumped at anything that he could use to prove his point.
Now to answer your question. The point you’ve made – “At a time when the very state of Pakistan is under threat” – is not something I feel has hit home yet. Yes, there is that state of shock that hits when there’s a suicide bomb blast and then…life goes on for those who aren’t in that city. Whether its because the war itself is happening in a place none of us in the cities have access to, or if its become all too convenient to ignore that there is a military operation ongoing in the country, that disconnect does exist. Now add to that the huge amount of people who still don’t believe this is our war or the Taliban are our problem – as exemplified by Noori’s quotes in the report – there’s going to be a sense of ‘why should we speak out? its not OUR problem anyway!’, fuelled by the anti-US sentiment in the country.
Also, yes they are public figures, but one could argue whether it is their responsibility or not. They’re entertainers, not statesmen. In an ideal world, they should have risen to the occasion but because there’s such a state of denial about this being our war, there’s no patriotic spirit attached to it. Of course, there are musicians that have spoken out, but thats been conveniently ignored in this report.
And Angelina Jolie and Bono chose to become activists for the causes they espouse, not the either way around. And musicians in Pakistan are entitled to have their own views if they do choose to speak out, as Ali Azmat does every week on his show (and the less said about that, the better). There just needs to be a balance that exists and this is where it has all gone down the drain. And I get it when musicians are scared to express their views, fearing retribution, but no one was forced to put this tripe out there.
However when the security situation has directly affected their livelihood, it is truly sad that they can’t even see who’s to blame for it. And so if anything, its the lack of levelheadedness on all fronts that we should be ruing.
Aamer,
Are you trying to say that only multi millionaires can afford to have a conscience? All of us who raise voice against Taliban are not multi millionaires but we still do it, day in & day out because we cannot just stand by and let these people take ownership of our country.
And their popularity is not dependent on their right wing views. Ali Azmat has probably lost all his fans by nodding his head to every piece of bull shit churned out Zaid Hamid.
For me, the biggest disappointment was Ali Noor of Noorie. He is a trained lawyer, he is a husband and a father he see people, including women and children, dying everyday in blasts and he still thinks we are not affected by Talibaan, it is the problem of the West? What kind of a bubble does he live in?
With politicians like Shareef brothers and musicians like Noorie brothers, perhaps we deserve to be massacred, both literally and culturally, by the Talibaan.
Loved the post! Its truly sad to watch and hear all that coming in from people. The most shocking part being Ali Azmat dismissing the destructions of over 200 schools as promptly as if it means nothing, absolutely nothing.
I do realize that people are angry at the US meddling in our affairs but this in no way means we shouldn’t boycott the barbaric actions. The fault lies within us and not outside its hightime we get out of our nutshells and jump into the real world. The ‘NO MUSLIM NO PAKISTANI CAN DO THIS’ mentality has TO GO! its beyond sick!
No ones expects them to go all out and taking a stand but at;east acknowledge the damage done rather than playing the blame game. This just makes me wonder if the war will ever stop? we are fighting with ideologies, most of us have still not come to terms with the reality which is tragic. How many more schools need to be bombed before we get atleast a min to pause think and comment?
Bono and Jolie are known for their humanitarian work. If you are comparing our musicians to them then you should also note that there are several artists that have done a lot to assist those in need within our country as well. For example, Abrar Ul Haq has created a great institution (Sahara for Life) and so has Shahzad Roy (Zindagi Trust). Also, there were quite a few concerts (performances by Rahat Fateh, Shafqat Amanat, Abrar Ul Haq, Jawad Ahmed, Atif Aslam etc) which were dedicated solely to raising funds for the IDPs.
Fair enough. But my point that I was going to make was that we have no celebrities that actually come out against Al Qaeda/militancy do we? Therefore, maybe it is unfair to poo poo the Yeh Hum Nahin campaign because those celebrities came out against terrorism, just not specifically against the Taliban.
one more thing .. the documentay keeps on saying they are not using words like Taliban and all (or atleast thats wht i grasped) … the question is why do they have to? Ye hum nahin .. actually does condemn/oppose taliban, among other factors.
Let’s ask Zardari and Gillani to come out of HIDING and make better/stronger statements before we expect this new breed of rockers to take a stance.
as for ali noor ‘…it is the West that is against the Taliban…’
does not that puts on our shoulder a responsibilty to safeguard the people on this earth. whoever tehy are .. tehy are being fed on our home soil and growing strong … stronger to the extent that now even we have become the targets, and we always were even before the operation rah-e-nijaat started
fasi zaka’s comments on roys video : ‘…pointing out a very very strong finger at the religious forces…’ , thats got nothing to do with religious forces, it was rather aimed at provoking people to stand up for themselves and their fellow countrymen. at least thats what west is good at!
sorry for all the c…!
art is art..it shouldn’t have to ‘do’ anything..do what you please as long as it pleases you as an artist..if you want to make a political statement in your art supporting the taliban, that’s your right as an artist and a human being…and if you want to make a statement against the taliban, well then that’s your right too…as far as artists or pop singers as role models, sure, one can make that argument…but at the end of the day, if the person is an artist then he/she should do it for the art and not for ‘what example it may set..kids have parents for that..
i don’t know, i just never like when people project responsibility on artists…its art man!end of story. not saying you did that, but people like adam ellick and nadeem paracha shouldn’t try and make role models out of people who may sing a song one day about love, the next day about sex, the next day anti-american, the next day anti-pakistani..i mean art is too fluid and personal to really expect that…if you want an artist to be a role model don’t look for it in his/her work but maybe in their public statements or something, if ANYTHING…and yeah in that sense you could say our public personalities should be making more responsible public statements..
i know most will disagree trying to tell me they are public figures and all that..but at the end of the day your art is what you want it to be and art doesn’t bear a public political responsibility….
I 100% agree with you. At the end of the day, an artist is an artist.
I’m pretty much with shaheryar mirza here. I think it’s pretty harsh to claim that musicians/artistes have a responsibility to anyone other than their fans (maybe not even them) or themselves.
That said, I’d rather musicians kept their mouths shut than blab on about ‘neocons’ or anything of that ilk. I also don’t think any artist ever has a responsibility to anyone. If they’re looked upon as role models, that’s not primarily their fault unless they’ve actively sought such a circumstance.
Also, am I alone in being extremely depressed when looking at any contemporary surveys of Pakistani political thought?
The Gallup poll and the IRI report from a couple of months back are frighteningly sad.
good post k:
sadly, there is a dearth of “jalibs” today!
on talibans, majority are in denail…forget the rock bands and musicians…(even though this post is mostly about them denouncing the talibans)…
just do a random check on the msm…everyone blames everyone else but themselves for this cancer…from the US, to india, to israel, to ……
the buck stops with us…we are responsible…for a follower of a religion that began with “read”….(iqra…) we do not read (the book) and thus have defaulted religion and its interpretation to the pseudo maulvis and mullas…resulting in their gross misinterpretations and misrepresentation…without challenges…
(yes, this slide has been happening for centuries)
but we have to own our share
As if the rest of us are any better !
It is not just a question of whether Rock musicians oppose the taliban or a bus drivers oppose the taliban or a politicians oppose the taliban. The malaise is deeper. And it is inside all of us.
How total is the society’s rejection of violence ? How much does the society trust the media or the leadership ? More importantly what is the identity of Pakistan ? Let us visit it one by one:
1. How total is the society’s rejection of violence ?
There is always a “good violence” and “bad violence” in our minds. People get killed in UK bus bombings ? It is “just violence” because discriminated and oppressed youths did it (Musharraf said so, you can look it up). NATO soldiers get Killed in afghanistan ? It is “just violence”, we secretly rub our hands in glee, it was all because of western agenda, serves them right. 150 women and children get killed in Peshawar ? Oh its bad ! why ? because its us getting killed.
But before I go ahead and express my outrage, you can actually make me think that peshawar was “just violence”, because we have found reasons to actually celebrate and justify other violence. So any violence in society, if it can be argued to us that it was “just violence” we wholeheartedly accept it, support it and celebrate it.
This is not the way to run a country. Rejection of violence must be total. If we want something to be done about a bomb in Peshawar’s market, we should do something about the guy who killed 200 in Mumbai. Not laugh along with the distasteful “comedy program” in 4 man show that parodied it. This is a bitter pill to swallow, but without this pill, any expectation of “outrage” about killing in Pakistan will be just shallow. How many of us are actually prepared to catch and prosecute all the “freedom fighters” we have been sending across the border ? If nobody is prepared, why all the takleef when other “freedom fighters” want to bomb our markets ? Now tell me, how many of us are ready to whole heartedly condemn all violence everywhere ?
The moment someone argues “Oh but they deserved to be bombed, not us”, we have started to lose.
2. How much does the society trust the media or the leadership ?
There is a bizzarre theory floating around for everything. 9/11 was done by Jews. All terror attacks in Pakistan are by Indians. CIA/Mossad/RAW fund the taliban. We are completely blameless about ’71, we didnt kill anyone in Bangladesh. We won in ’65. People spin stories like that because we let them spin it like that. Did anyone ask Rehman Malik to clarify when he said all terror attacks are made by Indians ? Did anyone ask Athar Abbas to clarify when he said Balochis are funded by Indians ? That Indian arms were recovered from Taliban ? Does anyone question the Army, now that they have not won a single war against India, why do they need to set policy of this country ? Does anyone question anything at all ?!!
Whenever taliban bombs lahore, it is not because they are islamists who want to take us back to the 7th century, but because they are taking money from the Indians. Then pray tell me, how on earth are we ever going to win against them ? We think they are Hindus, while they want to impose their version of Islam, put us in a burkha and make men grow long beards and bomb our children if we refuse.
If we cherry pick what conspiracy theory to believe, we have started to lose.
3. What is the identity of Pakistan ?
Oh we are not Indians, we hate the west. Hindus, Jews and Crusaders are our enemies. What exactly do we hate the west for ? Their technological progress ? Their freedom of speech ? Their democracy ? Freedom ? The money they give us ? Why exactly do we hate the Indians, remind me once again ?
We are masters of railing against people who are more prosperous and got there by working harder and having better principles. But by railing against them and hating them, we also reject their principles of plurality and rule of law. Then why complain if the rule of the jungle and animal law is what is given currency in our society ?
hey kalsoom,
i havent had time to read everyone’s comments, but a friend of mine was just shown this piece by an american friend of his. My friend is a musician and is a member of a popular karachi based band. i’ll copy paste exactly how he commented to the piece. maybe someone else has had similar things to say:
“I am so incensed at seeing this report, I don’t even know how to respond. There is so much selective editing and editorializing and most of the videos used are all things that are at least 1- 2 years old. In no way does this reflect the current times.
1) Ali Azmat is one of our most popular popstars, but he’s also a provocateur who delights in taking anti-American views. He co-hosts a debate show with a certain Zaid Hamid, who as Ahsan will tell you is another psycho who has a personal fetish for anit-Semitism and Zionist conspiracies. Ali Azmat in no way shape or form represents the “collective view” and he certainly doesn’t speak for the musicians I know.
2) The Noori brothers are one of the most incredible performers in the country and for the video to imply that they are Taliban apologists/sympathizers is at best extremely irresponsible and at worst criminally libelous. I don’t know when this video was made but I’m positive it isn’t current. I’m also positive that had the rest of the interview been aired, then Ali Noor would have clarified his point a little better…. Read More
3) Shehzad Roy’s “Yeh Hum Naheen Hain” (This is not us) was a collective effort of all our major popstars getting together and trying to show the public that they do not condone or support the actions of the Taliban. But this apparently was merely an “indirect effort” for Mr. Ellick.
4) There is a very real and persistent threat made directly to musicians and entertainers by the Taliban and their hardline sympathizers. From an Arts Festival being bombed last year, to CD shops being set on fire, concerts being cancelled due to death threat. I think they can be excused for not directly singing out against them for you know…fear of endangering their lives etc.
…I know I’m probably preaching to the choir, sorry to go off on a rant…but I was livid upon seeing this…the simple fact is that I personally do not know anyone who is still hesitant to condone the Taliban, and I feel that this article is truly damaging.”
i agree with him.
🙂
Ali Azmat needs to get his “tind” out of the crap that Zaid Hamid has buried it into…
@Tariq,
WOW! Your comments were, by far, the most stirring & powerpacked words I’ve ever come across. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not applauding your visibly ‘from the heart’ stuff ‘cos I’m an Indian. No civilized human being can find fault with your sentiments. Extremists & violent creatures of any kind, caste, colour or religion have to be firmly exorcised if the global citizen is to live a clean & full life.
Bravo! May your tribe increase!
Sorry Kalsoom but I’m gonna have to put my 2 cent in as well 🙂
When I first saw Adam Ellick’s video I was bemused but dismissive, unaware of the publicity it will recieve. I personally thought it was very badly done, completely false and hypocritical in its claims and not worth anyone’s time. But the responses it generated made me a tad bit more angry.
Firstly, Ellick’s claims are entirely inaccurate. I won’t elaborate because they have said it better here: http://www.chapatimystery.com/archives/homistan/fragile_rock.html
Whatever one thinks of the Ye Hum Naheen movement, it happened and was an effort by a few artists to give a political statement(goes to show how effective such songs are anyway).
Secondly, no artist, musician, writer is ‘required’ to do anything. It’s not their job to educate lazy American political analysts on how Pakistanis feel about the Taliban. The responsibility is squarely on the learner. If they want to know how people feel about the war in their country, well ask and get a bit of a detailed analysis. I repeat it is NOT the responsibility of Pakistanis to prove to anyone that we don’t deny our problems. I can point at least 7 other conflicted countries that don’t have to go through pains to tell the world ‘look we’re fucked’ !
Thirdly Jolie and Bono aren’t good examples. Being a celeb against poverty or for AIDS awareness is just slightly different than being against the Taliban. The militancy in our midst is not as clear-cut as a fatal disease and one can’t expect all people to against it unequivocally.
Lastly, I don’t understand the need for specificity. Just because Ye Hum Naheen didn’t have lyrics that said I Hate the Taliban it’s not good enough? I guess what satiate the likes of Ellick would be lyric that go like
BURQA DHAARI NAHIN CHALAY GI
BUM WAALI GAARI NAHIN CHALAY GI
and really, that would make for terrible, self-hating music.
Sorry for the long tirade, I’m just sick of people assuming that all Pakistanis are supposed to hate the Taliban and if they don’t, they obviously love and support them. I personally fall in neither of the categories and I don’t want a journalist telling me I have to either love or hate. Sorry but life’s just a tad bit more complex than that.
Kalsoom, this was a very informative and analytical post (does that sound too Apa-ish? sorry, but i mean it!). I am with Shahreyar and Asfandyar in that I dont think artists have to speak out agst the atrocities which are taking place in a society. However, I do find it strange that they make statements like, (Ali Azmat), ” your music has to keep up with the time, otherwise you can take a hike.” So, on the one hand he is trying to show he is politically sensitized and sensitive, and on the other, he is making ridiculous statements re the Taliban. To not speak out, as a celebrity, agst the Taliban is one thing, but to try to pull wool over our eyes or “purdah daalna” on what is going on in Pakistan, is another.
@Tazeen,
I am not suggestion that at all! What I was trying to say is that people will always look at their own interests first (except for a very small selfless minority). So is it wrong that these artists value their careers? Its shocking to us that educated people like Ali Azmat and Noori have such views, but then so does most of the Pakistani public. So, I think my point was well asserted by Shaheryar. Of course one can say that these celebs ‘should’ put out anti-taliban rhetoric, but they are by no means obligated to!
@Rabayl
“It’s not their job to educate lazy American political analysts on how Pakistanis feel about the Taliban.”
Adam Ellick has basically lived with a Swati family for several months, documenting their struggles against the Taliban and producing, what was one of the most moving and effective journalistic accounts of the Talibanization of Swat that are out there. You may call him biased or bigoted, but he is certainly not lazy.
Maybe Ellick’s wanted to highlight the contrast between people like Ali Azmat and Ali Noor/Ali Hamza and the Yousufzai family. The contrast between the two is certainly shocking and maybe the musicians he interviewed weren’t representative, but their quotes (especially Ali Azmat’s about girls schools) speak for themselves, no matter what the larger context is.
I just watched the video and honestly, I wouldn’t take it all that seriously. Very much agree with Rabayl. she hit the nail on the head.
I second shehryar mirza’s comment too, artists are bloody artists, stat!
Besides, I can’t imagine the kind of answers we could get out of US musicians about the Taliban and Pakistan, like say knicker-flashing Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, even IF they were to sing songs about current affairs and all of that good stuff.
Still laughing at Ali Noor’s response. Quite surprised actually, Ali Hamza sat beside him look a tad uncomfortable/unsure? I quite clearly recall a debate where Ali Hamza raised some v. controversial points about Pakistanis possibly rethinking the whole ‘anti-America’ consensus, maybe try to understand that we need them to help us combat terrorism within the country etc.
Now that was way back in Bush’s time!! So I am surprised he kept mum. Or maybe he flipped sides over time? Will never know.
Oh and sorry almighty NFP, but that’s quite enough ”rataarik end kleeshay krap” from out from your mouth too!
It is indeed disgusting to know that our music stars, who could play a very active role in shaping an effective social impact to counter Talibans and their saga of terrorism, they themselves are licking on conspiracy theories! Ali Azmat is the funniest of all with his far-fetched Zaid-Hamid-inspired theories of Jewish/American/India involvement in everything that happens within Pakistan.
However, the other point too is no less valid that social activism within the music industry is barely record-selling and those who do pursue it, end up losing their fan-base. Add to it the fact that while we may very conveniently type our opinions against Taliban here at our homes, it’s a JOB citing an opinion openly against them while being a public figure and not being bestowed with a security plan worth millions of rupees.
So while it may be their pattern of thinking and viewing the way things are, and that may be surely said of at least certain few of them, the other may simply be mum because of the fear that grips the nation as a result of this surge of terrorism. I won’t say that’s justified, but well…that’s understandable.
All you intellectual people out there . Could someone please answer my questions ?
What will happen when US leave Afghanistan?
Who will rule Afghanistan after US invasion ?
Will Pakistan consider the Talibans enemy when they come into power ?
Those who are opposing Taliban right now are influenced by the propaganda of US that we are the terrorists & actually we have convinced our conscious ” k han bhai hum mein he garbar hai , hum he terrorist hain ”
Once US leaves Afghanistan , Taliban will come into power again and first of all they will kick out all the Indians, Americans, Israeli & Russian agents from there. Taliban state has always been friendly with Pakistan. Their soil never used against Pakistan but what is happening now.
What the Indian Counseletes are doing there ?
Does Pakistani Taliban have any connection with Mulla Umer’s Taliban ?
The Taliban version that we are seeing these days in Pakistan is a camouflage. They are funded & brain-washed people doing all this. Ali Azmat rightly asked , from where those fundings are coming?
Are we Pakistanis funding them out?
Is any Muslim country funding them ?
The liberal Govt. of PPP has also been convinced that “Foreign Hands” are involved.
The thing is, “We were used , we are being used and we will remain be used as a tissue paper” until we change our attitude.
Final Words:
TALIBAN is only in Afghanistan!!!
they won’t ever come in Pakistan!!!
In Pakistan, Taliban can’t come into power!!!
In Pakistan, the secret agents of other countries have activated, even ISI is facing trouble controlling them.
The operation is Waziristan is right, it is not against TALIBAN but they are titled as “Shiddat Pasand”
@Rabia,
Ellick might not be intellectually lazy but I was referring to the NYT audience. He demands that Pakistani musicians educate the rest of the world that doesn’t set up shop in Swat for research. Which isn’t the job of any musician, Pakistani or otherwise.
Ever heard Lal Band . . . ?
Rabayl – I actually disagree with you completely. I would have expected that after hearing about many of their fellow musicians (albeit the uncool local folksy types) getting kidnapped, killed and run out of various parts of NWFP, pop musicians would at least be decent enough to make a small note of condemnation, preferably through music. But I guess they’re not supposed to.
[…] not find the right words to express what I felt until I found some very eloquent comments on a CHUP article on the same topic. As always Kalsoom touches on very relevant and diverse topics that we’re […]
Ali Azmat is pseudo wannabe Gora living in denial. Pretty much like the rest of Pakistani society! He acts and dresses like a Westerner but adopts a mouthpiece strategy like the Taliban lovers the JI and the JUI. The sad thing is, his profession will suffer first in a Mullah fuelled Taliban fantasy utopia!
There’s widespread thinking in Pakistan that it will never happen to me. The Taliban attrocities will never affect me. That’s probably what the poor old population of Swat thought too! Before the Taliban invasion. Even though the Taliban are killing innocent Pakistanis in droves. And then having the nerve to admit to it! But to most Pakistanis it’s no it must be the Indians, Mossad, the Illuminati, Blackwater, etc, etc (Yawn!)!
Wake up from conspiracy fueled slumber Pakistanis! The Taliban are nothing more than a ragtag bunch of mercenary killers. Betullah Mehsud amassed a staggering $50 million dollar fortune. This came from wealthy Saudi Salafi sympathisers, heroin drug money, extortion, kidnappings, target killings, suicide bombing training etc. Tell me is anything to do with religion. The only religion these ringleaders understand is money! And brainwashing and hoodwinking the gullible Pakistani Public!
With the Taliban on a murderous killing spree. Who needs the above mentioned enemies to destabilise the country!
I fully support our brave Armed Forces, Security Services and Police Forces in fighting and eradicating this evil from our shores.
“PAKISTAN ZINDABAD”
I agree with earlier commenters, that “art is art” and Pakistani artists should be defined over the quality of their work and not whether they stand up against this or that. If they would manage to argue why they just rant against the “West” or about conspiracies and wrap that into great songs – fine. But they fail in both. What Ali Azmat is saying is ridiculous, I didn’t expect more. But with the comments by the Nooris and Sikander Mufti I was quite surprised. Of course the Taliban are not the biggest problem of the country, and just because the West wants everything to fit into their simplifying vocabulary (“…no mentioning of Taliban or Terrorism”) one shouldn’t blame them for not standing up against it. But to say that the Taliban are basically no issue at all (and thats what Nooris and Mufti are suggesting) is baseless crap. Apart from that the songs are sheer populistic shout outs and void of musical quality, something they earlier did actually provide.
Guys… lets not get stuck in the nit grit of it.
The issue here is that there IS an issue… that demands immediate tackle and pehaps an eventual fix.
And though it sounds completely perfect in ‘artspeak’ to free artists from any social/worldly liability… it would be stupid to let them get away with a self inflicted cocoon of denial.
Awareness is a huge problem with our awaam in general anyways. i feel like i’m surounded with intelligible idiots all the time. the artists are apparently consumed with ‘self’ only because the orbit of self has not increased to encompass more.
if one really dares to think a little beyond his disposition in the lifestyle aspect of existance, the free-er one’s thoughts and concerns will be. the pain will be greater and perhaps an even bigger reaction or expression in every sense.
to me an artist who is not catering to the art market corporation and does not have the choice to be anyone else, is only expressing what he feels holistically. like a sufi… his inquisitions are more inward than outward… and hence the least contaminated. once he connects with his own soul.. he connects with the entire soul of all creation and all that there is. he longs for peace and love and tires his expression and talents of the same message to be communicated to all.
the evil to recognise is not the face of the person with the gun… but the intent he carries.. the vengeance and the history of his reasons. destruction and destructive teachings are the evil… and the preachers of those. the talibans are muppets that will only replace themselves in batches.
and since music is one of the most communicative and lucid form of art, it can invoke and encourage bright, clean, peaceful ideas in the society and help isolated individuals connect with each other and relate to their mutual and pronounced incarnate lust for peace and co-existance.
let’s sing songs about getting along… because the differences will never be gotten rid off.
Pakistan is one country which keeps its gun on its head and ask for aid. It keeps asking the world for aid in the name of nukes not going to fundamentalist. where is the question of pride for beggars. However it is filled with hatred for west and india. Hatred turns jealous and into proxy war towards india. Probably america deserves the fundamentalism as it is the one which armed them in the path to teach a lesson to russia and the same devil is teaching lesson to usa and pakistan which created the same.