Community concert: Raising political awareness through music

Classical folk performances honour cultures, traditions and languages of Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: A concert featuring Arieb Azhar, Khumariayaan and folk band Sada-e-Pamir on Saturday raised awareness of political rights and student politics among the city’s youth.

Titled “The Songs of Freedom”, the concert was organised by the Awami Workers Party (AWP) and the National Students Federation (NSF) at the Aabpara Community Centre.

Besides political awareness, the event aimed to make the youth appreciate art and music.

NSF Punjab general secretary Alia Amirali said the objective of the event was to send a message that the youth in this country are not dead and that they would voice their opinion against all odds.

“Our youth can still think and differentiate between the right and wrong and will therefore always continue to stand for the right”, said Amerali.

She said the concert also helped remember and honour our cultures, traditions and languages.

Afsheen Baloch opened the event with Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s Bol, with Ammar Rashid on guitar. Her performance depicted women in Balochistan who want to speak up.

After Afsheen’s performance, Zarak Baloch took the stage and presented Balochi song “Pindoh”. Zarak highlighted that the only right the Baloch demand is the right to live. He also performed Gung-e-Arzoo, which also highlighted the struggle of Baloch people.

AWP information secretary Ammar Rashid sang “Aaj bazaar main” and “Hum dekhein gay”. He also presented Kalaam of Khawaja Ghulam Farid and other classical sufi poets.

Other performers included Peshawar-based band Khumariyaan and folk band from Hunza Sada-e-Pamir.

The event ended with several performances by classical sufi singer Arieb Azhar, whose “Damadam mast qalandar” and Khawaja Ghulam Farid’s “Husn-e-Haqiqi” had the audience worked up.

Students from various universities attended the concert.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2015.