| S. Waziristan musician prays for Taliban defeat, so he again can make sweet music |
“I recite from the Holy Quran every morning and pray for the success of the military operation and when they are defeated I will buy another rubab”, said musician Mohammad Akbar, after fleeing his native South Waziristan to Dera Ismail Khan.
Mohammad Akbar says he prays every day for the Pakistani army to crush the Taliban so he can make sweet music once more without fearing for his life. “They smashed it into pieces and warned me of serious consequences, if I ever played rubab again,’ said Akbar as he recalled the day two years ago that the Islamists forced him to give a recital of his rubab — a traditional lute-like instrument that is popular in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The 39-year-old was speaking in the dusty town of Dera Ismail Khan where he fled with his wife and seven children to escape a major offensive by the army against the Tehrik-i-Taliban in neighbouring South Waziristan. While those living in Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt are fiercely protective of their independence from the federal government, the Islamist militants have alienated many with their hardline edicts, such as a ban on music.
‘The Taliban cannot be our friends,’ said Akbar, as he recalls incidents of flogging and beheading of those who fell foul of the extremists. Akbar looked visibly distressed as he spoke about his ordeal, which started two years ago when a Taliban delegation turned up at his home, following a tip-off from one of his neighbours. Not knowing they were from the Taliban, he served them tea, played his rubab and sang for them in his living room. And then they grabbed the instrument and smashed it. ‘It was a warning from them. I was forced to stop playing an instrument that I started playing in 1981,’ he said.
Islamic extremists have blown up hundreds of music and DVD shops in the troubled North West Frontier Province (NWFP), calling the practices against the tenets of Islam. Shop owners were forced to display the pro-Taliban material, which ranged from tirades against the ‘renegades’ to gruesome clips of beheadings and bomb attacks.
Tears rolled down Akbar’s cheeks as he talked about one of his very close friends Ahmad Shah, whom he says was executed by Taliban for playing the flute. ‘They slit his throat because he ignored their warning,’ said Akbar. The musician also recalled his childhood friendship with Qari Hussain, a reputed mass trainer of suicide bombers whose hometown is now surrounded by the army, saying that Hussain also did not like his hobby of playing the rubab.
When he confronted Hussain, who returned to South Waziristan in 2007 after living for years in Karachi, about the Taliban’s behaviour, he received an icy reply. ‘I went to him to lodge complaint, but he asked me to be thankful to God that they did not kill me on his request,’ he said.
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[13] Comments | Post Comments | Send to a Friend ! |
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| Taliban will be defeated and this man will have his way. |
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| True he is, peolple like him, who love fine arts and play music are creative and preach peace and tranquility! Inshallah , Akbar will go back soon to resume what he wants , Bravo! |
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| Islam teaches cultural tolerence and moderation. Those who oppose cultural activities in the name of islam are condemnable. Let prevail peace, harmony and cultural diversity. |
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| Islamic extremists have blown up hundreds of music and DVD shops in the troubled North West Frontier Province (NWFP), calling the practices against the tenets of Islam. Based on this info the blogger has constructed rile and ridiculous censure of Talibans. People tend to make sweeping value judgments about Taliban, on the erroneous notion that Taliban and Al-Qaeda are one and the same. Al-Qaeda came into being as a strong response, perceptibly, from Afghanistan and its neighbors to USSR's invasion and occupation. CIA played its paramount role of mobilizing die-hard Islamists from M.E., Central Asia and South East Asia. They were motivated, trained, armed and funded to fight for the glory of Islam against the infidels. Once the objective was achieved and the Russian Empire tottered in the wake of its defeat against the Al-Qaeda Mujahideens, CIA and their political bosses abandoned the Mujahideen and to sanitize their wicked and wanton liaison with those die-hard Islamists who could prove a strong bastion of Islam in the crucial battles of Crusade, the US and its perfidious Allies jettisoned Al-Qaeda. Taliban Movement was a recent occurrence - a mere stop-gap arrangement to establish a writ of their own to subjugate and stymie the brutal repressive powers of the warlords that had carved out spheres of their own dominance, effectively negating and neutralizing the writ of the govt in Kabul. Armed more with ideals and perceptions than military hardware of sophistication, they simply prevailed - walked over the weak defences of those Warlords whose hegemony was defied and defeated. The Taliban govt that emerged had distinct religious connotations. While drugs and social drawbacks were eliminated with iron hands, the fanatics amongst the Taliban succeeded in implementing some very conservative and controversial traditions, whose Islamic validity is profoundly contended and challenged by Ulemas of different schools of thought. These Talibans constituted the major tribes populating on both sides of the Durand Line. As such this Movement was, so to say, indigenous and not international that Al-Qaeda qualifies. Right from the time, when they realized that a popular, powerful and providential govt must be formed to protect the solidarity of Afghanistan and the supremacy of the religion professed by more than 99% of the population, the Taliban were engaged in their existential war. To cement the bond of brotherhood, they conceived Islamic identity, the best glue. To secure and stabilize their govt they looked towards other Muslim countries for support and succour. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia recognized their govt and established diplomatic relations. The friendly govt in Afghanistan tended to underwrite security and serenity of our Western borders. The sudden U-Turn taken by a dictatorial regime in Pakistan took the winds out of Taliban sails. The estrangement bred hatred and hostility, which was fanned and furthered by calculated dozes of acrimony and arsenic from RAW_MOSSAD_CIA triumvirate. Today, it is not Taliban alone in the insurgency mayhem. There are strong factions of anti-Pakistan elements - both the fifth columnists within and the enemies without that have common cause with Taliban to avenge the insult and the injuries they suffered from their erstwhile friends and brothers in faith. Is there a moral justification for the govt to use phosphorous laced bombs to evacuate the Lal Masjid and Hifsa Students to tyrannize a section of their population with Napalm Bombs, mortars, tanks and sophisticated weapons acquired, primarily, to defend the sanctity of our borders against invasion from abroad, are being ruthlessly utilized to maim and massacre an enemy whose identity is uncertain, unknown, unverified. The nation in torpor hardly realizes that this sectarian war mounted against its own population is loaded with disaster and devastation that our enemy have been planning since the inception of Pakistan. The kleptomaniac govt is after filling up their coffers to lead lives of luxuries in countries where they have stashed their ill-begotten wealth. During the time of Mad Mush, USA and WB had granted $10.5 Billion - where is all the amount spent. Can the present govt or the past, ever indicate few structures of Industry, Commerce, Dam, Power Generation or Agricultural Development plans that still stand testimony to their ambitious policies? Taliban have been living the moments of their continuous battles of survival, security, and suppleness, which leaves them little time for fun and frolics. A person with serious ailment, which has made him bed-ridden, can never be advised to play stressful games, jog, hike, bike or run that a normal person of good health could accomplish. Taliban have little time or appetite for the spiritual elation through music and fine arts. The forces of compulsion - trials and tribulations- have subsided or sidelined the finesse or the feelings of emotion and sympathy and the naivety of circumstances have pushed them to insane defence mechanisms. Allama Iqbal rightly stressed: "Shamsheer-o-sanaan Awwal Taoo's-o-Rabab Akhir. |
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| Is Islam a religion of griefs and sorrows? Doesn't Islam allow musics, poetry, literature and fun? Does Islam give any importance to this world? Or its only aim is the world after death? In my view, if Allah didn't like music, he would not have d musicians. He would not have bestowed certain people with this quality (nimat). |
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| Terrorist are not the friend of any one. They said, 'We are performing Jihad". They are nor Muslim because one Muslim can't kill another Muslim brother''. Terrorist activities promoted by those who are the enemies of Islam and those countries has desire to finish Islam. But our army has position to destroy terror from the entire world, not only Pakistan. |
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| Terrorists have no religion. They are not from any religion and to call them ISLAMIC EXTERMISTS is not good as it gives a negative impact of Islam. Islam do not teach to promote or to spread terror. Talibans and all other non-state actors are highly inhuman in thier activities. Although, flogging is there in Islam, but there must be a valid reason and strong evidences behind it. But to harrass the innocent people, terrorise them with fear is not allowed in Islam. Pakistan armed forces INSHALLAH will soon defeat them. Ameen |
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| I am glad to know that there are people who believe in Islam and reject to be used as instruments of Kaffir Talibans, who are iliterates and do not know what Islam is. |
| Muhammad R. .Akhtar [ashland] |
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| You will play rubab inshallah. We will get rid of this radical talibanisation and our country will prosper. |
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| Taliban was / is no one's friend, but problem is who d and supported them? I can understand musician's dream and expectations, but I am pessimistic that PM of Pakistan cares for his dreams at all. This is cry of a common man who has nothing do with any international politics and frauds. But problem is some people sitting on top always keep on thinking - how can they collect more money in their swiss bank accounts. |
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| Taliban are bandits, dacoits and abductors. They are murderers. And they are cowards. As soon as NATO forces landed at Bagram airport in Kabul, Taliban who were boasting that they are awaiting Americans on land, ran away from Kabul without firing a single shot at NATO forces. This is their eeman. But they are brave towards innocent and armless. Our army will perish them very soon. I am sure that after defeating them in their last bastion Waziristan, they will extinguish within no time. |
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| Good thinking by this musicians from South Waziristan, but he must be careful and shut his mouth and music for few days until Pakistan Army finished the job in his home town. |
| Taj Ahmad [Karachi-Pakistan] |
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| True he is , peolple like him, who love fine arts and play music are creative and preach peace and tranquility! Inshallah , Akbar will go back soon to resume what he wants , Bravo! |
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