ISLAMABAD, July 29 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday held a consultative session with the country’s television and film artistes, playwrights and singers.It was the second sequel to his initiative ‘PM’s dialogue with Nation’ to seek suggestions on overcoming extremism and intolerance in the society.

Following are the highlights: As many as 30 artistes invited from across the country, participated in the discussion Prominent included: playwrights Anwar Maqsood and Haseena Moeen, filmstar Mustafa Qureshi, TV Director Sahira Kazmi, Classical Singer Surayya Multanikar, Pop-Singer Abrarul Haq, TV artistes Marina Khan, Irfan Khoosat, Firdous Jamal and Laila Zuberi.They arrived at PM Secretariat and were settled at the Cabinet’s Committee Room before the arrival of the PM at 11.30 am. (more…)

In 1964 Akhtar Channal Zahri started taking formal singing lessons from an ustaad. In 1973 he brought regional folk to national attention after he was discovered by the Balochi Radio Station, and in 1974 Chanal’s music became popular nationwide when his song Deer Deerwas first aired live on TV. Since then Akhtar Chanal has traveled all over the world, including the United States, the Netherlands and Europe for tours. In 1998 he was also awarded the Pride of Performance.

This season Channal joins us at Coke Studio, with a sound that inspires, thrills and awes and at the same time touches the heart with its Balochi passion, and whimsical Pakistani beauty.

Watch Akhtar Channal’s Nar Bait performed at Coke Studio:

Download Audio

Lyrics: (more…)

Mohabbat Rooth Jaye Toh is a Pakistani Drama Serial which tackles head-on the many cultural traditions – such as child marriage, marriage to the holy Quran and honour killings – that continue to plague women in our society.

Story:

Zain, Shumail and Shahnawaz are friends who live abroad. Shahnawaz likes Shumail but after she rejects him, he goes back to Pakistan where his parents try to force him to marry his childhood fiancée. However, Shahnawaz runs away before the wedding and in due course marries Shumail, and they move abroad. (more…)

Sounds of peace in a troubled land

A group of musicians from both the East and West have come together to seek a better future for the people of Pakistan

Mark LeVine
Al Jazeera

Calling themselves the Sonic Peacemakers, rather than just sit on their hands and watch the world sink further into violence and disrepair, a group of musicians have decided to come together and put their music and even their bodies on the line to remind people around the world, from the US to Pakistan, of their common histories, dreams, and future. (more…)

A rock star’s journey to social revolution

By Saher Baloch

It is not easy to understand Salman Ahmed, a self-confessed “Jihadi” who was the famed lead guitarist of the now defunct Sufi-rock band, Junoon. He has simple ideas, but through his constant shifting from one thought to another, it seems he does not want to be slotted into any category. He speaks whatever he feels like, and through his answers, comes across as a person who is constantly reinventing himself.

Salman Ahmed has also been appointed as the goodwill ambassador of the United Nations for HIV/AIDS, because of which he has been making appearances on international forums and fund generating functions. (more…)

After so many arguments by our team members & supporters & also by some Indian Muslims on Official Facebook Page of Prince. Tips group have finally decided to take back the first lot of CD’s .

WE congratulate & thank Arsalan Ali, Sean Ali, Pari Khan , Syed Atif Ali and many others who raised the voices. You guys have simply showed that we had slept but not ANY MORE!!!

Also, we are shocked to see the face of some “Liberals” who are not even bothered listening to verses with Music. May Allah give us all the right direction & Bless us all.

Below is the official statement by TIPS:

Dear Friends,

I represent Tips (Marketing ). We have been observing the comments by a few members concerning the use of certain verses of the Quran in the unplugged version of ‘TERE LIYE’ sung by the composer himself Sachin Gupta.

We would like to clarify the matter with all of you. First of all, the concerned song is only a bonus track on the album. It is not picturised in the film. Sachin was keen on singing on the album. Being a relatively new singer, he wanted to seek the blessings of ALMIGHTY. He even consulted a Sufi saint who told him it it was perfectly fine to use the verse. That does not take away the fact that we have unintentionally hurt the sentiments of a few of our fans.

We are recalling the first lot of CDs that have been dispatched to the trade. We are remastering the song in question and will remove the verse. Although we believe that we (TIPS) have done nothing wrong in putting this beautiful song out, we do not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments.
We hope this eases all the hard feelings.

God Bless!!
Arun Nair
(Marketing)

Atif Aslam officially shares his Hajj Experience with Fans

By Danish Mughal

Atif Aslam – after completing his Hajj – officially shares his spiritual journey with his fans. A very long post containing about 5000+ words was just posted on Atif Aslam’s official Forum, as well on Official Fan Page of him.

After watching such a huge post i was like “Leave it! who has time? ” but when I started reading a paragraph i couldnt hold myself . I had finished the complete text in one go. It is actually a travellogue by him, written just to share his experience with his fans . He chose ‘Roman Urdu’ medium to express his views which seems weird for the first time but i believe it couldn’t be written so well in English. Thumbs up for him (y)

Overall, its a very religious post containing Islamic Information and you will find Atif preaching & explaining all the rituals of Hajj. He starts up with his latest music projects & then come to his flight to KSA and then story gets its momentum and take you along with Atif and offer to see the world from his eyes.

The post is no doubt very positive which clearly opens his inside out- Even if you are critically reading it you won’t find anything controversial. It seems like this Hajj experience has brought so many positive changes in him.

I know you can’t hold yourself now so I am just re-producing his post below, Do check it out & Remember us in your prayers

P.S : All the pictures embedded in the post are done by our team to make it interactive. The original post was only based on Text & nothing else.

ASALAM O ALAIKUM … (more…)