Even as the governments of Pakistan and India still debate if they should talk to each other, Pakistani musician Shahvar Ali has come up with a peace album 'No Saazish, No Jung' that features the voices of Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto and Barack Obama.
Even as the governments of Pakistan and India still debate if they should talk to each other, Pakistani musician Shahvar Ali has come up with a peace album 'No Saazish, No Jung' that features the voices of Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Benazir Bhutto and Barack Obama.
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He hopes to release it by August 14 and 15 - when Pakistan and India respectively celebrate their Independence Day - and says the terror attacks on Mumbai hurt both the neighbouring countries.
"26/11 has hurt us all. Yes, there has been damage done to both India and Pakistan. While there has been so much resentment amongst the Indians, the incident has also tarnished the image of people living in Pakistan," Shahvar, an advertising professional-turned-musician, said in an interview.
He wants to drive home the message across both the countries that they cannot afford to fight each other any more.
"This is why the lyrics of my song go 'Mullaeya na kar tung, oo guraya na kar tung, mainu rahen dae malang, main nach nach kai ladniyae jang de nal jang' (Don't bother me mullahs (clerics), don't bother me foreigners, let me remain a free spirit, I will dance away and fight your war)," he explained.
Shahvar has incorporated some sound bytes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jinnah, Bhutto and Obama to stress the need for peace.
"I want people to know that the message of peace is universal, whether it comes from Gandhi-ji or Jinnah-saab," the singer said.
"People should be able to hear the common language. These words come from their older speeches that drive home the point that relatively speaking, all have emphasised the need and hope for peace. The idea of using these leaders as spokespersons for peace is to also connect with the populace of India, Pakistan and the South Asian diaspora," Shahvar explained.
He is now planning a music video for 'No Saazish, No Jung' so that his peace anthem can earn bigger visibility.
"Actually, I'm hoping to release it (the music video) on August 14 and 15 respectively so that it coincides with Pakistan and India's Independence Day celebrations," he said.
"I sincerely hope and pray this initiative leads to a better way forward for all of us," Shahvar added.
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