Folk singer Zarsanga enthrals online audience

With a lockdown, PNCA holds online live concerts

ISLAMABAD: To continue its mission of promoting folk culture while observing safety measures and lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Tuesday organised an online concert of famous Pashto folk singer Zarsanga.

The PNCA has launched a series of live concerts online to support musicians during the lockdown. The council added that the series of online concerts are aimed at keeping music lovers engaged and provide their patrons with entertainment to take their mind off the virus.

For Tuesday’s concerts, special arrangements were made so that Zarsanga could perform for viewers from her home in Kohat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). For this purpose, coordination was kept with a local cameraman.

The Pashto speaking community, especially those residing in K-P and other provinces, were particularly thrilled and a large number of people tuned in to the online livestream.

Listeners have acknowledged the efforts of PNCA for making it possible to listen to their beloved singers live at a time when life has come to a halt in many ways.

In other online live concerts, Pride of Performance Award Winner Bashir Baloch, and Liaquat Parkoi son of legendary singer Murad Parkoi from Balochistan performed and received a large number of likes for their presentation of Balochi and Brahvi songs.

PNCA said these live concerts aimed to provide entertainment to those people who are stuck at home apart from helping artists who are also in lockdown, including some who are living in remote areas. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2020.