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| Friday, 5 March 2004 |
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Pakistan opens its arms to Indian musicians BOMBAY, Thursday (AFP) Top Indian ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, once a strong opponent of Pakistani artists performing in India, has changed his tune after being invited across the border to stage shows in three Pakistani cities. Singh, who like other Indian artists had not been allowed to perform in Pakistan for the past 25 years, said he was warmly welcomed by audiences when he staged live shows last month in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. "I am happy that the Pakistanis gave me an opportunity to perform in their country," said Singh. "Now I have no objections Pakistani artists come to perform in India." For more than two decades there had been an unofficial ban on Indian artists performing in Pakistan. However during this time Pakistani artists had been allowed to perform in India, with singers Ghulam Ali and Adnan Saimi becoming huge hits here, especially the latter with his renditions of Bollywood numbers. Singh, who last performed in Pakistan in 1979, had been incensed with the one-way ban by Islamabad on Indian artists and last year met Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani to demand a ban on Pakistani artists performing live shows in India. On his list of targets were singers Abeeda Parveen and Adnan Saimi, popular band Junoon and ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali. Ghazals are songs based on Urdu poetry and largely known for their melancholy notes. "When we cannot play cricket with them, when we cannot travel in that country, when we as artists cannot perform in their country, why should we welcome their artists in India," Singh had told Advani at the time. However, his opposition melted after his tour of Pakistan, which came at the invitation of Pakistan International Airlines as part of the peace process between the two countries. "In Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad I was welcomed with open arms. I am now looking forward for my next trip," he told AFP. "The shows were for very selected audiences in all places and the tickets were priced at 6,000 rupees (132 dollars), but still they were sold out." As a goodwill gesture, Singh donated a cheque of 5,000 dollars to legendary Pakistani singer Mehdi Hassan, who is battling a paralytic stroke. "Mehdi Hassan was my inspiration when I began singing. I was sad when I heard that he was sick and therefore I thought that I must immediately do something for him," said Singh. He also contributed to a fund for ageing Pakistani signers who are poor. |
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