Naqaabposh turns up volume for Gaza

With their song 'Qabza', the metal duo confronts silence, censorship, and global indifference to Palestine

In a potent fusion of heavy metal and political conscience, Pakistani band Naqaabposh released a new song on Monday titled 'Qabza', a dedicated tribute to the people and resistance of Gaza on the eve of second anniversary of Israel's assault on the Palestinian enclave.

The release serves as a powerful artistic intervention into a global crisis that the band feels has been overlooked. It places their music within the wider movement of Pakistani artists who are actively leveraging their platforms for tangible solidarity and fundraising efforts for Palestine.

The duo, consisting of primary writers and composers Ammar Khaled and Hasan Tanveer, alongside bassist Adeel Tahir, have announced that all streaming proceeds from the track will be donated to relief efforts in Gaza.

Naqaabposh, whose prior work since 2017 including 'Bheekh' and 'Khaamosh Dakait' has consistently addressed social issues, frames the plight of Gaza as "no graver issue in the world right now," lamenting that the people of Gaza "have sadly been abandoned by the entire world."

The song's title, 'Qabza,' which translates to 'occupation' or 'control,' directly confronts the core issue, with lyrics centred on themes of breaking free from confinement and highlighting the profound power of people's voices.

The band's motivation is rooted in a desire to fill a silence left by what they perceive as much bigger artists in Pakistan "shying away from speaking about Gaza." For Naqaabposh, releasing 'Qabza' was an ethical imperative.

"This was our way of contributing a voice to the cause and we hope other musicians may follow suit," Khaled stated. The track itself was written nearly a year ago and has been in production alongside a forthcoming full-length album, underscoring its long-term importance to the band.

The music video for 'Qabza' eschews conventional performance footage. Instead, the lyric video is a jarring collection of real-life scenes: footage from the war-torn Gaza strip, clips of Palestinians fighting back against the Israeli military with "sticks and stones and pure courage," and distressing visuals of "starving children crying out for food."

This stark, vertical, mobile-friendly editing choice is intentional. The band consciously avoided showing the musicians, explaining they "did not want to take anything away from the issue." This decision also serves a pragmatic purpose.

The band anticipates facing "shadow-bans from Meta and Google over the content of the videos," and by utilising a vertical format, they hope to maximise its reach in an environment where social media algorithms often suppress content critical of the occupation.

This fight for digital visibility reflects a broader struggle by artists to maintain a voice in a global landscape where platforms often silence political dissent.

Naqaabposh's heavy metal rallying cry is not an isolated act, but part of a deeper tradition of Pakistani solidarity with the Palestinian cause, a commitment that dates back to the very inception of Pakistan.

The country's artistic community has recently demonstrated significant, coordinated efforts in response to the intensified conflict.

For instance, prominent Pakistani celebrities, including Mahira Khan, Armeena Khan, Anoushey Ashraf, and writer Fatima Bhutto, have used their substantial social media presence to condemn attacks and urge support for victims.

Earlier initiatives have included fundraising concerts like 'Sounds of Solidarity with Gaza' in Lahore, featuring artists like Shae Gill and Natasha Noorani, where all proceeds were directed to humanitarian aid.

Furthermore, the 'Art for Life – Art for Gaza' humanitarian camp in Islamabad brought together around 150 artists, poets, and musicians like Arieb Azhar for a multidisciplinary exhibition and auction, with all proceeds pledged to the Palestinian embassy for aid efforts.

These collective actions—from mass media appeals and large-scale fundraisers to the independent, raw voice of a metal band—affirm the cultural role of art in Pakistan as an "idea warrior" and a moral compass.

Naqaabposh's 'Qabza,' raw and uncompromising, adds a distinct, heavy-hitting metal sound to this chorus of solidarity, turning their music into a vehicle for humanitarian aid and a demand for global consciousness.