PESHAWAR: Three years ago, hundreds of Afghan artists, musicians and singers fled their country in fear for their lives after Afghanistan fell again to Afghan Taliban. Many Afghan artists, musicians and singers are still facing problems and issues in Afghanistan and some among them are taking shelters as refugees in different countries including Pakistan due to fear of Afghan Taliban.
Challenges for Afghan Artists in Afghanistan
Hundreds of Afghan artists staying in Pakistan said that once Afghan Taliban reseized control of Kabul in 2021, they felt there was no other option but to leave the country. They said that schooling for girls has been banned while the music instruments were also burned in many parts of Afghanistan.
VOA reported on Tuesday that Taliban morality police in Afghanistan said that they had “seized and destroyed” over 21,000 musical instruments over the last year. The situation in Afghanistan has forced many talented artists to flee their homeland in search of safety and freedom. Leaving behind their families, friends, and familiar surroundings, they statarted a journey to unknown lands, carrying with them their passion, talent, and their dreams. Among them are Afghan singers, who find themselves in other lands, struggling to revive their career. They preserve their cultural heritage and keep alive the memories of their country. But they are facing different challenges such as language barriers, lack of opportunities, and certain legal issues.
Afghan Singers in Pakistan
Currently, hundreds of Afghan singers are living in different parts of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan and Sindh. Many of them had migrated to Pakistan after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. An Afghan singer told the media on the condition of annonmity that they had initially hoped that the Taliban might change their attitude towards music. But he became very disappointed to see the burning of music schools and a ban on music in Afghanistan. He said that he had no other choice but to migrate to Pakistan.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, is a music center where Afghan art and culture come to life. This center is part of a community hub for Afghan refugees. The music room is expensive enough to accommodate a group of twenty people, with musical instruments arranged in the corner. The music students sit on the carpeted floor, some of them playing the sitar while the others play the tabla, creating music that blend Pakistani and Afghan culture.
A female Afghan student and artist told VOA on the condition of annonmity that she came to Islamabad, Pakistan, just six weeks after Talian’s takeover in Afghanistan. She told VOA, “I could no longer stay in Afghanistan because I could not continue drawing. If we had stayed, I would have forgotten everything that I learnt, because the Taliban do not allow her to work as artist”. She said that here in Pakistan, she can pratice her profession of art to fulfill her childhood dream. She thankful to Pakistan and its people for supporting Afghan refugees for last several decades.
Afghan Singer has Set Up Music School in Rawalpindi
Another Afgan musician recalled sitting in tears by the charred wreckage of his music studio following a band of Taliban men vandalized the facility days following Taliban swept to power in Kabul in August 2021. He said that he had opened a small music school in Rawalpindi for Afghan refugee students in 2023. He said that he left Afghanistan for Pakistan to build a new life with music. He said that Afghan artists who returned to Afghanistan faced a lot of trouble from Afghan Taliban. He added therefore, they want to work in Pakistan.
Earleir, the Pashto album of a teenage Afghan singer had received overwhelming response from music lovers and encouraged him to follow his future targets. The family of emerging Afghan artist Subhan Latif shifted to Peshawar after Taliban’s takeover of Kabul. The teenage singer had launched a Pashto album titled ‘a tribute to Ustad Khial Mohammad’ that received an overwhelming response of countless people for his velvety voice, Dawn reported.
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
Pakistan on July, 10 had extended the stay of 1.45 million Afghan refugees who legally reside in the country, for a period of one year, a day after a visit by the UNHCR chief. The decision has been taken in the federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Afghan refugees with proper documentation- Proof Of Registration (POR) cards- will be able to remain in Pakistan until June 30, 2025, according to a statement issued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office. POR cards of over 1.45 million Afghan refugees had expired last month. On Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Chief Filippo Grandi urged Pakistani authorities to extend the validity of their registration cards — critical identity documents.
