Shakila Naz starts music classes for refugee girls
Afghan refugees wait at the UNHCR registration centre in Peshawar on June 23, 2016. PHOTO: AFP
Well-known Pashto singer, Shakila Naz has started music classes for refugee girls who escaped to Pakistan from Taliban’s rule recently.
She decided to teach them music after discovering their love for singing and meeting refugee families. She has offered other girls to join the classes if they are interested in learning music and singing.
Talking to APP Sunday, Shakila Naz, who has been nominated for Pride of Performance Award on August 14, 2021, said that she feels sorry for the Afghan singers who fled Taliban’s rule and reached Pakistan leaving their households behind.
She maintained that the situation is not good for music in Afghanistan that is why she decided to come forward and teach Afghan female students at her Islamabad’s residence.
“The government of Afghanistan gave me huge respect by conferring one of its most prestigious awards, Milli Dranaway Award-(National Award of Honour) at Bagh-e-Babur in Kabul on August 19, 2020,” she noted, adding that she could not explain in words the love and respect she received in Afghanistan both from the government as well as its people.
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During her stay in Afghanistan, Shakila Naz was accorded receptions by Afghan leaders, including former president Hamid Karzai, governors of Laghman, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Kunar, Iqbal Saeed and Nangarhar province. She also was invited to different provinces as state guest. A former Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Umar Zakhiwal hosted her as well.
Shakila Naz said she visited the tombs of great Pakhtun leaders including Bacha Khan, Ghazi Amanullah Khan, Malang Jan, Ustad Gul Bacha Ulfat and others to pay respect to these Afghan heroes.
“I cannot forget the fact that Pakistani and Afghan people are one and they should help each other in the hour of need,” she explained, adding that is why she decided to teach Afghan girls and play her part for preserving the music in the war-torn country.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2021.