Braadri Broadcast celebrates Pakistan’s diversity in full spirit

Hamza Jaffri’s initiative earns respect of entertainment industry bigwigs for bringing together different communities

KARACHI: There are few musicians who would even think about the various communities around them, let alone establish an initiative to try and bring them all together. Hamza Jaffri is truly one of a kind, as is his latest venture Braadri Broadcast that aims to unite all the different cultures of Pakistan under one roof.

In this connection, Jaffri held a concert earlier this week which saw 10 live performances in 10 different languages of the country. These included Sindhi, Hindko, Shina and Burushaski, amongst others.

The familiar yet exotic dialects hypnotised the audience. From the Urdu/Punjabi duet Karma Wale to a song dedicated to Karachi’s very own W-11 bus and another one paying tribute to the late humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, the show not only entertained but also engaged the audience emotionally.

A large number of musicians, actors and fashion designers graced the event. Sounds of Kolachi music director Ahsan Bari sang praises for Jaffri’s idea. “It’s about the initiative more than music itself. The most difficult part is reintroducing local music to the local audience,” he told The Express Tribune. “Not many knew what Chung was until they saw it being played tonight. This initiative is part of a bigger movement and I hope more such projects are undertaken in the future. I hope this movement grows to be big in the next few years.”



VJ and actor Anoushey Ashraf wrote a long post on Facebook, sharing how she felt while watching different parts of Pakistan come together on stage. “I’ve only just realised that there were too many special moments to pick one. What mattered most is that this was a night for Pakistani musicians from all walks of life and province; a chance for them to come on out and shine,” she said.  “They deserve my respect more than my praises for that is what makes an artist truly happy. Each of them is a beautiful star and they need to know that. We have to show them that.”

Also in attendance was fashion designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY, who applauded the project because of its celebration of diversity. “It was fantastic! I am very happy because we rarely get an opportunity to see our diversity and hear all the languages in Pakistan. It was important and very special,” said HSY. “The beautiful part is the age difference between the oldest and the youngest singer who was 17. Such initiatives are important for Pakistan or any part of the world, where languages and cultures come together and diversity is celebrated.”

Prominent writer and film-maker  Javed Jabbar emphasised the importance of sharing such music with the masses. “It makes me proud as a Pakistani. I think it’s very important for us and the media to propagate such initiatives, not only in the mass media, but also social media, for it appeals to every music lover around the world,” he said. “I loved the fusion of Punjabi and Urdu. The remarkable synthesis and the synergy of it will be appreciated by everyone.”

Praising Jaffri, the scholar added that there should be more projects like Braadri Broadcast. “I think it’s not only important for commercial and private sponsors to support such initiatives but also the government because it’s their responsibility. This project embodies what I call ‘Pakistaniyat,’ as we celebrate diversity and the coming together of our culture.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2016.

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