A musical campaign: ‘One Pound Fish Man’ creates anthem for PML-N

Nazir says song will focus on Nawaz’ career.

LAHORE:

As the elections come ever so closer, all parties have geared up their campaigns on electronic and social media. The PML-N is obviously trying to stay in the front line.

In this vein, the one-pound fish man, Shahid Nazir, disclosed that his anthem for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is to be released within a week. The song is titled Qadam barhao Nawaz Sharif, hum tumaray saath hain (forge ahead Nawaz Sharif, we are with you).

“Everyone is singing for political parties; that is how it has been done in the past too,” pointed out Nazir, saying that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ataullah Essakhelvi are some of the people that have contributed songs in this election.

Nazir said that the terms of the song’s deal are confidential and his main goal was to promote the achievements of the PML-N. Speaking about his meeting with Nawaz Sharif, an obviously inspired and smitten Nazir added that “I think it’s a great thing that he knows about me, and he knows that here is a singer who has represented Pakistan in a positive light internationally.”

The singer explained that the song will try to focus on the positive aspects of Nawaz Sharif’s political career. The advertisement has been shot at the Minar-e-Pakistan, PML-N secretariat and will have clips of the Bus Rapid Transit project.

The party has nearly 12 advertisements that are being prepared for the upcoming elections.

Faraz Tajammul, a part of PML-N’s electronic media cell, shared that the party has given extra attention to electronic media.  As a volunteer, he gave up his job in America to work with the party. He has been one of the focal persons who have designed the concept for majority of the advertisements that are currently being aired.

“Our campaign is not focusing on promoting a personality, rather we are trying to show our achievements and give a roadmap for the future,” explained Tajammul.

Music wise, the party has two official songs, including one sung by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and this upcoming song by Shahid Nazir.

Tajammul explained that Nazir’s song was not pre-planned; the idea came after Nazir’s meeting with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.

He added that the role of media was a lot more visible in this campaign in contrast to the 2008 elections, which had several restrictions in place.

“There was a consensus within the party that the media would play a major role in these elections,” said Tajammul.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2013.