The media doesn’t like this

The Indian media has been worried for quite some time that the new generation of Pakistan is increasingly turning towards religion; and they (those who are turning towards religion) include those who had been active in different fields of art and culture, and now they are marching towards religious terrorism. Many comments and analyses on this subject have found place in media during the last few days. Now The Times of India (Mar 18) has lamented on the religious tendencies of musicians and dancers of Pakistan. Referring to Pakistani newspapers, its reporter in Delhi has reported: “Faith & fear silence Pakistan's singers”, and that music is dying gradually in the land of Taliban. To the reporter, its major reason is the threats issued by religious fanatics to the artistes. But the examples he has cited do not suggest any force or coercion behind causing this change in the artistes. May be, in the tribal areas of north-west Pakistan, where there is much stress on following the Shari’ah values, sale of cheap and blue videos is prohibited.

Examples cited by the reporter

(1) Until a few months ago, Lahore’s pop singer Shiraz Uppal's caller tune was a song from an Indian film; now, one hears a prayer. Uppal has recently declared that he has taken an exile from pop music because his religion forbids it. (2) UAE-based Pashtun singer Nazia Iqbal, at a programme this January, announced that she would quit music to live as a "devoted Muslim woman". She also announced her plans to open madrassas in Pakistan. (3) A senior pop singer named Ali Haider made the transition from pop to devotional songs in 2009. Now, he sings only religious naats and has taken to preaching. – The reporter has written that certain singers and musicians have been killed by religious extremists. But even after going through full report on its web site it is not clear that people are doing so under force and coercion. However, the reporter has tried to prove this.

This is particular mindset

In fact, a particular kind of mindset is found in our media as a result of its indifference to Islamic values. They cannot bear promotion of Islamic trend even in a Muslim country. A few years ago some newspapers made hue and cry on the abundance of Muslims in Sri Lankan mosques and on following of Islamic values at common places, saying that Islamic fundamentalism was on increase. The same hue and cry was raised recently on the enthusiasm for Islamic values seen among the men and women of Maldives. And a few years ago the same voice was raised on the bearded faces of some Pakistani cricket players and their Islamic leanings. However then they had not got an opportunity, even after their attempts to find one, to talk of force and coercion used by gun-trotting persons. This mindset is the fruit of traditional anti-Islam minds running the media, and also to some extent the result of their unawareness with Islamic values. It is better that the persons of Pakistan about whom these objections are raised react thereto. Pakistani High Commission should also take notice of such reports.

25/03/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf