KARACHI: Any other year, this time of the year we would have been witnessing hype for mother’s day. This year though with election fever on, we see hype for not our biological mothers but our motherland.
Sophiya Anjum or RJ Sophie of FM 91 also decided that a tribute should be made to the motherland instead.
Radio FM 91’s concert to Save the Motherland which was held at the Ali Auditorium last night represents an attitude in the urban spaces that one must participate and vote.
“I thought this year we have to make sure that we vote and vote for the right person,” Sophie said after helping organize a concert on the last night for election campaign.
To be exact the line-up included Topi drama, SYMT, Quadram, AK the Punjabi Rapper, Jimmy Khan, Faiza Mujahid, Farhad Humayun, Mustafa Zahid, Aag the Band, Hasil Qureshi, Seige and others. Josh the band, which is in Canada, also sent a video message regarding the elections.
The concert basically addressed the young people, asking them to exercise their vote.
Sophie explained that there was something different about the elctions this time around. The change was probably due to the mushrooming of the media but the major factor, she thought, was the people at general who feel that there is something to be excited about.
“Music has to be looked at medium for peace, and the fact that a lot of musicians are coming out for this is really amazing,” Sophie said. “Celebrities have a lot of power in connecting with people.”
Singer Faiza Mujahid, who is rooting for Imran Khan, said she was surprised that for the first time people were taking an interest in voting.
“ It was interesting because there was not one person in the building that was not voting, I think people are sick of things, and our generation does not want to wait thirty years to wake-up,” Mujahid expressed.
Atif Saeed of Quadrum, who has been involved in similar mission for quite some time, said that unlike the dirty 90s, in which stop-gap democratic initiatives would always be dismissed, musicians or people can now express themselves freely.
“You have to give credit to Musharaf, for creating the freedom of press, he gave that platform that allows us to speak,” Saeed said.
Music has always been something that brought people together and there always is a social element, he further said.
Saeed’s band has been participating in Bareeze’s Made of Pakistan campaign in an attempt to improve Pakistan’s image.
“Pakistan has had a bad reputation but my point is that people don’t realise that underneath, a real Pakistan exists and is still there,” says Saeed.
Band at first had been reluctant to do much related to election awareness, expressed Arafat Mahzar of the band Topi Drama.
Seeing the enthusiasm that was generated he said that the band had a change of heart, and decided to be more active and create awareness regarding voting.
“ I really believe that this election is going to be a turning point in our history and will help our middle class to emerge [from the depth of the problems it faces],” remarked Mahzar.