PESHAWAR: The Bacha Khan Welfare trust of the Awami National Party (ANP) has established music production center – ‘Angazay Production’ – with the aim to promote Pashtun culture and provide a platform to singers to produce quality music
The establishment of music training center was announced by the provincial President of Aimal Wali Khan during a political rally in Charsadda, last month. He said that the ANP will train tabla, baja, rabab players at Bacha Khan Markaz. However, he was strongly criticised by social media users asking him to focus on politics instead of music. The ANP has taken the initiative after reports that the Taliban have shut down music schools and banned performance in Kabul while singers have escaped to Peshawar, Quetta and other parts of the world.
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The Bacha Khana trust said in a statement that Pashto culture and music has been damaged due to substandard music and extremism. The trust informed that Pashto singers do not have any platform to promote their art. The trust said the ANP will provide proper platform at the Bacha Khan Center [ANP’s center headquarter]. “Musicians would be provided a free platform, however, good poetry will be given priority.”
Angazay Production has formally started its activities with a music concert at Bahca Khan Markaz. The trust said that all musical instruments will be available and the production will release songs based on the Pashtun culture. The trust said that music festivals will also be organised in all the districts, including the tribal area.
An employee of Bacha Khan Trust told Mashriq TV that standard songs will now be recorded at the Bacha Khan Markaz. Singers will be given a free platform and good poetry will be given priority. “We will also hold music festivals in other districts,” he said. Famous Pashto singer Gulzar Alam said that it is the job of the state to protect music or culture. He said that whatever we have recorded in the past has vanished away because of the prevailing situation in the province.