National 5 (Spotlight Weekly)

PAKISTANI MUSIC
Show of Strength

Pakistani musicians display the commonalities of music in the region

By A CORRESPONDENT

As soon as Akbar Khameesu Khan started to play Alghoza, one of the most unique instruments indigenous to Sindh consisting of a pair of flutes, the crowd at Hyatt Regency Hotel found reasons to rejoice.

Khan, a son of the legendary Khameesu Khan, has grown up in a family tradition of playing Alghoza. “The music that we will hear tonight reflects the diverse musical traditions of the four provinces of Pakistan –Sindh, Baluchistan, Punjab and the North West Frontiers. However, the common thread that links this music together is the influence of Sufism or the “Sufiana Kalam” as is known in Urdu,” said Zamir Akram, Pakistani Ambassador to Nepal.

Khan began the musical evening by playing Pakistan national song. His impressive capacity to use the flute attracted the attention of the crowd. This is for the first time in town when Pakistani traditional music was in display. The musicians played various kinds of music including famous love story of Laila Majnoo to famous Sufi songs.

Amid diversities and varieties, South Asian countries also have many commonalities. The music and songs played by Khan reflected the long tradition in which South Asian culture has evolved.

Like all other countries of South Asia, Pakistan has also cultural, linguistic and traditional diversity. From Baluchistan to Sindh, and Punjab to North West Frontier, Pakistan has its own tradition and history of culture.

“Over five centuries ago, the Sufis traveled far and wide across the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, spreading their message of love, devotion and tolerance. In our sub-continent, their message, expressed through poetry and folk music, came to enjoy universal acceptance and reverence- irrespective of religion, caste, creed or language. This message remains as relevant today as it was centuries ago,” said Pakistani Ambassador.

Audiences at the Hyatt Regency enjoyed the music played by musician Zakir Mir Mughal, from the North West Frontiers who played the Bansari (bamboo flute). He kept alive the musical tradition of Heera-Ranjha from the pastoral highland of Pakistan. Playing the music of Punjab and North West Frontiers, Mughal showed his mastery.

Another musician Raja Bhai Jan from Baluchistan played the Banjo – an instrument unique to this part adapting to Baluchi music. His command on the instrument producing unique kinds of music inspired audiences.

Mohammad Khan, from Sindh, showed his best talent to support his other musicians by playing Dholak with perfection. Among five musicians, Murad Blauch from the Mekran Coast of Baluchistan played Dhamboora – one of the earliest rhythm instruments.

From beginning to end, the music show gave a sense to the audiences how Pakistan’s music and tradition have evolved. The music program demonstrated instrumental tradition Sufi Kalam from the four provinces of Pakistan, ranging from the mystic Kafis of Bullay Shaha, Shah Abdul Latif, Shahbaz Qualandar and many others.

For Nepalese audiences, the program helped to understand some commonalities of musical instruments played in both the countries. Although Akbar Khameesu Khan attracted audiences, the sound that originated from Dholak and Bansari were also quite interesting show. The musical show had been organized to mark the Pakistan Day.

Refugee Row

Nepal’s political parties have done much harm than help in settling the Bhutanese refugees problems. Whether it was in case of repatriation issue or in case of encouraging them to flee their native, Nepalese politicians and intellectuals were instrumental in complicating the imbroglio.

Following the step by step pressure from Nepal’s human rights activists to political parties, the government of Nepal – which is facing troubles to provide security to its own citizens – is being urged to give political asylum and security to Bhutanese human rights activist Tek Nath Rijal,

Rijal’s commitment to carry forward the cause of Bhutanese refugees is well understood. Had he raised the issue from within Bhutan, it would have been more effective and strong.

Although Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala is reported as saying that late B.P. Koirala and other Congress leaders were also given political asylum in India on political grounds, octogenarian Koirala seems to have forgotten that his elder brother ultimately had to return to Nepal to plead his cause.

Instead of pressuring Nepalese government to issue foreign travel document to Rijal to raise the issue in international forum, Nepalese political leaders - who have run the government time and again in the past- must speak truth why did they fail to settle the matter. Instead of pressing the government to give political asylum to Rijal, who has been here in Nepal for the last five months, political parties and human rights activists would do well to urge the government to internationalize the issue.

Thanks to their inefficiency incapability, Nepal has been facing serious political crisis including refugee impasse, their recent move will add another problem to small and tiny Bhutan along with Nepal. At a time when there are no refugee leaders inside Bhutan, Rijal’s return to his country will bring more pressure than his living in Nepal. He needs exposure in international media more than in Nepali ones.

After reading the recent statement of political parties, one does not need to go far away to know why the Bhutanese refugees imbroglio remained unsettled during their rules.