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Music of Pakistan

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The Music of Pakistan (Urdu: موسیقی پاکستان, romanized: Musiqi-ye Pakistan) is a fusion of Turko-Persian, Arab, Hindustani (North Indian), and contemporary Western influences, creating a distinct musical tradition often referred to as "Pakistani Music."[1] The genre has adapted and evolved over time in response to shifting cultural norms and global influences. It has also been deeply shaped by Pakistan's tumultuous political and geopolitical landscape. The Islamization policies of the 1980s, which sought to align Pakistani culture with conservative ideals of Wahhabism, imposed strict censorship on music and musical expression.[2][3][4] This period of repression was further fueled by the ongoing Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, during which Wahhabism was aggressively promoted with backing from the United States and Saudi Arabia as part of efforts to counter Soviet influence.[5][6][7][8]

British-Pakistani singer Annie Khalid during a live concert in Pakistan.

Although Pakistan as a nation emerged in 1947, the region it occupies has served as a historical crossroads for millennia. The Persian Empire, Turko-Persian dynasties, the Afghan Empire, Arab Caliphates, Indian dynasties, and British colonial rule, each era left defining imprints on the country's musical traditions, leading to classical forms like qawwali and ghazal, as well as vibrant folk music reflecting the country’s ethnic diversity—Punjabis, Pashtuns, Balti, Baloch, Hazaras, Sindhis, Wakhi, Shina and more.

In the late 20th century and beyond, globalization significantly influenced Pakistani music, with elements of Western popular music merging with local traditions to create contemporary genres. Diaspora Pakistanis in the West, such as Nazia Hassan, Zayn Malik (One Direction), Nadia Ali, and Annie Khalid, played a crucial role in introducing modern music to the Pakistani music scene. Their music resonated with younger Pakistani audiences, who saw in their success a representation of their own identity on the global stage, particularly at a time when that identity was under threat during the period of Islamization in Pakistan.

As of 2015, EMI Pakistan is the country's biggest record label, holding the licenses of some 60,000 Pakistani artists and around 70% of the total music of the country,[9] while streaming service Patari has the largest independent digital collection, with some 3,000 artists and 50,000 songs.[10]

Pre-history

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The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro sculpture
The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro.

Pakistan has an ancient history of music. One of the earliest pieces of evidence of music in the region comes from the Indus Valley civilisation (c. 3300–1300 BCE), one of the world's oldest urban cultures. The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro (2300–1751 BC), a bronze sculpture dating back to around 2300–1751 BCE, is one of the most famous artifacts discovered at the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro in present-day Pakistan. The figure of the dancing girl, captured mid-motion, is believed by many scholars to represent a form of ritualistic or celebratory dance, possibly accompanied by music. Additionally, archaeological findings, including seals depicting musical instruments like flutes, drums, and stringed instruments, indicate that the Indus Valley people likely had a rich musical tradition. The legacy of this early musical culture continued to evolve through various dynasties and empires that ruled the region.

Traditional music

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Pakistan, located in South-Central Asia, is home to a wide array of ethnic, linguistic, and cultural groups. The country’s traditional music reflects this diversity, with each ethnic group contributing unique styles and forms. At the same time, Pakistan's music scene has also seen the development of musical forms born from the fusion of various influences, such as Qawwali and Ghazal, which blend traditional, regional, and Sufi elements.


Folk Music

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Pakistan has diverse folk traditions, with each region reflecting its local culture and language through its musical traditions. These folk traditions are passed down through generations and often form the core of community events, rituals, and festivals, typically celebrating themes of village life, nature, bravery, spirituality, love, longing and seperation. Some of the famous folk singers/bands of Pakistan include Zarsanga, Sanam Marvi, Nazia Iqbal, Gul Panra, Raheem Shah, Saieen Zahoor, Abida Parveen, Ghazala Javed, Tina Sani, Musarrat Nazir, Tahira Syed, Laila Khan, Naheed Akhtar, Zeb Bangash, Suraiya Multanikar, Allan Fakir, Alam Lohar, Hadiqa Kiani, Ali Zafar, Haroon Bacha, and Khumarian.

In Pakistan's rural areas and ethnic communities, bards continue to perform traditional folk music, preserving ancient songs and cultural customs. In the Pashtun community, ashiqs or barkhurdars are traditional bards who sing epic tales of Pashtunwali (the Pashtun code of honor), recounting historical battles, and the lives of famous warriors. In Balochistan, Ghazaks (Balochi bards) perform songs about historical figures, social struggles, and regional issues, often accompanied by the dambura, a stringed instrument. Similarly, in Sindh, bards continue to preserve and perform the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai and other Sufi mystics, traveling between shrines and festivals.

Some of the major folk traditions of Pakistan include:

Pashto music

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Main article: Pashto music

Pashto music is predominantly found in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and in major urban centers of Pakistan, including Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi. There is a long oral tradition of Pashto folk music, which includes genres such as the Tappa, Charbeta, Neemkai, Loba, Shaan and Badala.

The Tappa is considered one of the oldest forms of Pashto poetry, consisting of two unequal meters, with the second being longer than the first. Charbeta is another highly popular form of Pashto poetry, often epic in nature, focusing on heroic figures and events. It is typically performed at a fast tempo by two or more singers. Neemkai is a type of folk song usually composed by Pashto women, expressing themes drawn from daily life and personal experiences.

Loba is a dramatic form of Pashto folk song, often a dialogue that tells romantic stories or allegorical tales. Shaan is a celebratory song performed during significant life events, such as marriages or the birth of a child. Badala, is an epic poem set to music and accompanied by instruments like the harmonium, drums, and tabla. Although it is a form of folk music, it is typically performed by professional musicians.

Sufi folk singer Saieen Zahoor performing live.

Balochi music

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Main article: Balochi music

Balochi music, primarily found in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, is a diverse and rich tradition shaped by the region's variety of languages, including Balochi, Persian, Pashto, Brahui, Sindhi, Dari and Saraiki. Common instruments used in Balochi music include the sarod, doneli, and benju. Notable musical forms in Balochi culture include Sepad, Shabtagi, Vazbad, Lullaby, and Zayirak, which are performed in various rituals, such as those following the birth of a child, while lullabies are sung to soothe infants and children.[11]

Balti music

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Hadiqa Kiani, renowned Pakistani singer known for her contributions to folk and pop music in Urdu and Punjabi, among other languages.

According to Balti folklore, Mughal princess Gul Khatoon (known in Baltistan as Mindoq Gialmo—Flower Queen) brought musicians and artisans with her into the region and they propagated Mughal music and art under her patronage.[12] Musical instruments such as the surnai, karnai, dhol and chang were introduced into Baltistan. Classical and other dances are classified as sword dances, broqchhos and Yakkha and ghazal dances.[13] Chhogho Prasul commemorates a victory by the Maqpon rajas. As a mark of respect, the musician who plays the drum (dang) plays for a long time. A Maqpon princess would occasionally dance to this tune. Gasho-Pa, also known as Ghbus-La-Khorba, is a sword dance associated with the Gasho Dynasty of Purik (Kargil). Sneopa, the marriage-procession dance by pachones (twelve wazirs who accompany the bride), is performed at the marriage of a raja.

Mural panel depicting the tales of Laila and Majnun, and Sasui and Punhun.
Mural panel from the necropolis of Mian Nasir Muhammad Kalhoro in Dadu District, Pakistan, depicting the romance of Laila and Majnun (above), a famous Arabian folklore, and Sasui and Punhun (below), a Pakistani legend frequently celebrated in Pakistani folk music.

Sindhi music

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Main article: Sindhi music

Sindhi music is traditionally performed in two primary styles: Baits and Waee. The Baits style is a form of vocal music, characterized by two variations: Sanhoon (low voice) and Graham (high voice). On the other hand, Waee is primarily instrumental and often involves the use of string instruments. Waee music is also referred to as Kafi and is widely found in the surrounding regions of Balochistan and Punjab. Common instruments used in Sindhi regional music include the Yaktaro (a one-string instrument), Narr (a type of flute), and Naghara (a drum). The themes in Sindhi music often center around Sufism and mysticism.

Shina music

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Shina is the predominant language found in Pakistan's northern areas of Gilgit and Baltistan. The language has an extensive oral history which dates back several thousand years. With the increase in tourism to the northern areas and increased domestic as well as international awareness of the local folk music, the Shina folk traditions have managed to stay alive and vibrant. Folk music in this region has remained relatively pure and unscathed by modern influences due to the relative isolation of this area. The arrival of many refugees from the adjacent Nuristan province of Afghanistan and the subsequent increase in commercial activity in Chitrali bazaars allowed this local form of music to furthernflourish in the past few decades.

Punjabi music

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Sufis performing Sama.
Sufis performing Sama. Miniature from the Timurid copy of the Khamsa of Amir Khusrau, Herat (modern-day Afghanistan), 1485.

Folk music from the Punjab province is rich and varied, showcasing a range of instruments such as the dhol (a large drum), flute, dholak (a smaller drum), and tumbi (a single-stringed instrument). The folk music invokes the traditions and tells stories of agricultural life, love, and joy. Famous folklores, such as that of Sassi Punnu set in the historic city of Bhanbhore (Sindh) and the coastal regions of Makran (Balochistan), are often the poetic content of Punjabi folk music.

An illustrated headpiece from a mid-18th century collection of Persian ghazals.

Qawwali

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Main article: Qawwali

One of the most notable genres of traditional Pakistani music is Qawwali (Urdu: قوّالی, Persian: قوالی, Pashto: قاووالی), a devotional musical form primarily performed in Urdu, Persian, or Punjabi. A key characteristic of Qawwali is its emphasis on improvisation and lyrics derived from Sufi poetry, often expressing themes of divine love, longing, and spiritual devotion. In recent decades, however, Qawwali has increasingly incorporated secular themes into its repertoire.[14]

Amir Khusrau, a prominent figure of the Chisti order of Sufis, is credited with creating Qawwali by blending Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Hindustani musical traditions in the late 13th century. The word "Qawwali" is derived from the Arabic term "Qawl" (Arabic: قول), meaning "saying" or "utterance." A session of Qawwali is formally referred to as "Mehfil-e-Sama," as it is considered a form of Sama (Turkish: Sema;  Persian, Urdu and Persian: سَماع, romanized: samā‘un), a Sufi tradition performed as part of the meditation and prayer practice known as dhikr. In Central Asia and Turkey, the word "Sama" is used (or is preferred) for musical forms that closely resemble Qawwali.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz
The renowned poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz sought asylum Beirut, Lebanon, during the Islamization regime of General Zia Ul Haq in Pakistan due to his support for Marxism. Faiz was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962 by the Soviet Union and was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature. His ghazals and poetry, known for their blend of political and romantic themes, have been rendered in both traditional and modern musical styles.

Qawwali music is performed by a group of about nine musicians, called Humnawa (Urdu: ہم نوا, lit. 'one who sings in harmony with') led by a principal singer. The performance incorporates various musical instruments alongside hand clapping by the singers. Common instruments used in Qawwali include the Harmonium, Tabla, Rubab, Sitar, Sarangi, and Tanpura.

Qawwali gained international acclaim through the legendary artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, often hailed as "Shahenshah-e-Qawwali" (Urdu: شهنشاهِ قوالی, lit. 'The King of Qawwali'). In 2016, LA Weekly ranked Khan as the fourth greatest singer of all time. One of his most celebrated albums, Night Song, produced in collaboration with Michael Brook, reached number 4 on the Billboard Top World Music Albums chart in 1996 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 1997.

Ghazal

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Main article: Ghazal

The ghazal (Urdu: غزل, Persian: غزل) is a form of poetry consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain, with both lines of the opening couplet and the second line of each subsequent couplet adhering to the same meter. Etymologically, the word "ghazal" (Arabic: غَزَل, romanized: ġazal) originates from Arabic, where it means "to flirt," and often denotes themes of love and longing in Arabic poetry. In the Persianate world, the term acquired additional symbolic meaning, being associated with the "mortal cry of a gazelle"—based on the Persian word "ghazāl" (Persian: غزال), from which the English word "gazelle" stems. The cry of a gazelle when hunted became a metaphor for the pain, separation, and yearning central to the ghazal's themes. The name ghazal encapsulates its dual essence: the tender, often melancholic exploration of love, loss, and existential musings, alongside its lyrical and rhythmic beauty, evoking the elegance and grace of the gazelle.

While traditionally rooted in poetry, the ghazal in Pakistan has evolved to become closely associated with music. This transformation began in the early 20th century when the recording industry played a key role in popularizing the musical adaptation of Urdu and Persian ghazals, making the works of renowned poets like Rumi, Hafez, Mirza Ghalib, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Faraz, and Parveen Shakir accessible to a wider audience. Ghazal music originally adhered to the Hindustani (North Indian) classical tradition, employing ragas (melodic modes) and talas (rhythmic cycles), typically at a slow, contemplative tempo. In modern times, however, ghazals have seen a fusion with genres such as light classical, jazz, rock, or pop music, resulting in a more contemporary sound that retains the lyrical beauty of its origins.

Modern music

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Pop music

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Main article: Pakistani pop music

The song "Ko Ko Korina" (Urdu: کوکوکورینا) sung by Ahmed Rushdi in 1966 is considered to be the first pop song of Pakistan. Rushdi was born in present day India in 1934, where he started his musical career, but later migrated to Pakistan in 1954.[15] Pop music in Pakistan truly gained momentum during the 1980s with the brother-sister duo Nazia and Zoheb Hassan. Their debut album, Disco Deewane (Urdu: دسکو دیوانے, lit. 'disco lovers'), released in 1981, broke sales records in Pakistan and became the best-selling Asian pop album at the time.[16] It topped charts in India, Russia, South Africa, Latin America, and Philippines, and earned international acclaim.

Another popular act of the 1980s was the pop and rock band Vital Signs, with Junaid Jamshed as the vocalist and Rohail Hyatt as the keyboardist. From the 1980s to the 1990s, they produced many of their highly successful and critically praised albums. Their song "Dil Dil Pakistan" was voted as the third most popular song of all time by BBC World.[17]

Momina Mustehsan (right)
Pop singer Momina Mustehsan (right), who gained widespread fame with her hit song "Afreen Afreen," a contemporary tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's iconic qawwali of the same name.

However, the 1980s were also the time of rapid political change in Pakistan, driven by the Islamization policies of President Muhammad Zia Ul Haq, who came to power through a coup d'état in 1977. Under the banner of Nizam-e-Mustafa (Urdu: نظام مصطفی, lit. 'Order of the Prophet'), Zia's regime sought to implement a conservative Islamic agenda, which came with strict bans and restrictions on musical expression across the country. Even the song "Dil Dil Pakistan" by Vital Signs, despite being a patriotic anthem—typically the kind of music that thrives under autocratic regimes—got censored for showing young men in Western clothing.[4] President Zia Ul Haq had strongly denounced "western ideas" such as jeans and rock music.[18] The regime also banned music for reasons such as "endorsing alcohol consumption" if lyrics mentioned alcohol, or "obscenity" if a male and female were shown standing close or dancing.[3][19] This period also saw the closure of all bars, nightclubs, and theater halls in the country, depriving aspiring musicians and bands of venues to perform and earn a living.[20]

The Islamization regime of Zia Ul Haq in Pakistan coincided with the broader rise of conservative movements across the Greater Middle East, including the Islamic Revolution (1979) in neighboring Iran, the Soviet invasion of neighboring Afghanistan (1979), and the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)—all of which strengthened the role of the clergy and fueled sectarian tensions throughout the region. Of particular relevance to Pakistan was the Soviet-Afghan War, in which Pakistan played a direct role as an ally in the U.S.-led Operation Cyclone to expel Soviet forces from Afghanistan. As part of this operation, Saudi Arabia arranged the transport of thousands of young, indoctrinated volunteers, known as "Afghan Arabs," from across the Middle East to Pakistan. There, they were trained and equipped with U.S.-provided arms before being sent into Afghanistan to fight against Soviet forces.[5] Additionally, Saudi Arabia funded the establishment of thousands of madrassahs in Pakistan,[21][22] with their number growing from about 900 in 1971 to over 33,000 in 1988[6]. These madrassahs promoted Wahhabi ideology, seeking to radicalize Afghan refugees and impoverished local populations to join the "jihad" (Arabic: جهاد, lit. 'struggle, fight') against the Soviets in Afghanistan.[23] However, these radicalized youths also launched a campaign inside Pakistan against music, which is considered impermissible under Wahhabi doctrine.[24] Many musicians were threatened with violence unless they abandoned their craft or left the country.[25] This fervor escalated into acts of violence, including the burning of record shops and attacks on art exhibitions and musical performances.[8][7]

In recent decades, the Islamization policies in Pakistan have somewhat eased, and the influence of conservative Wahhabi elements has also somewhat diminished. However, the country still remains far from its pre-Islamization cultural values and freedoms. Despite these challenges, the past few decades have seen the rise of several notable pop singers, including Ali Zafar, Momina Mustehsan, Atif Aslam, Zoe Viccaji, Hadiqa Kiani, Aima Baig, Goher Mumtaz, Haroon, and Farhan Saeed.

The Sufi rock band Junoon during a live performance.

Rock music

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Main articles: Pakistani rock and Sufi rock

The rise of rock music in Pakistan began in the 1980s when cassettes first came into Pakistan bringing in a wave of Western rock music, particularly groups such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, and AC/DC. Western-influenced rock music began to feature in underground concerts all across the country. In the 1980s, rock bands Vital Signs and Strings rose in defiance of the authoritarian regime and gained immense popularity amongst the youth. Vital Signs is widely regarded as Pakistan's first and most successful pop rock band. Their single "Dil Dil Pakistan" was voted the third most popular song of all time in a BBC World poll in 2003.[26] Despite being active since the late 80s, Strings achieved widespread popularity after the release of their second album in 1992. The band went on to sell over 25 million albums worldwide. Junoon, Aaroh, and Noori followed suit in the 1990s.

Fawad Khan
Fawad Khan, lead singer of the heavy metal band Entity Paradigm.

Junoon pioneered the genre of Sufi rock, combining the poetry of famous Sufi poets such as Rumi, Hafez, and Bulleh Shah with the hard rock brand of Led Zeppelin and Santana and South Asian percussion such as the tabla. Junoon is one of Pakistan's and South Asia's most successful bands with over 30 million albums sold worldwide; the New York Times called Junoon "the U2 of Pakistan" and Q magazine dubbed them as "One of the biggest bands in the world".[27] Junoon became the first rock band to perform at the United Nations General Assembly Hall and only the second Pakistani act to perform at a Nobel Peace Prize Concert.[28][29]

The early 2000s saw the arrival of progressive metal, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock with bands such as Entity Paradigm and Mizraab. Mekaal Hasan Band, Call, Karavan, Jal, Roxen, Mizmaar, and Qayaas also exploded onto the music scene with different brands of rock including alternative and soft rock. The television series Pepsi Battle of the Bands was instrumental in launching Entity Paradigm, Aaroh, and the Mekaal Hasan Band, all of whom competed in the inaugural edition of the show in 2002.

The resumption of the Pepsi Battle of the Bands in 2017 after almost 15 years, heralded the resurgence of Pakistani rock with the rise of Kashmir, Bayaan, and Badnaam.[30]

Although the heavy metal genre began to rise in popularity after the 1997 general elections, Pakistani heavy metal music can be traced back to the new wave of British heavy metal of the 1980s and 1990s with bands such as Black Warrant (band), Final Cut, and Barbarians. In recent years, numerous heavy and black metal bands including Overload, Saturn, Saakin, Karakoram, Burq - The Band, Taarma, The Nuke, and Aag have amassed followings in this niche rock music in Pakistan.

Hip hop music

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Main article: Pakistani hip hop

Pakistani hip hop is a blend of traditional Pakistani musical elements with modern hip hop music.

Filmi music

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Main articles: Cinema of Pakistan and Filmi pop

Pakistan's film industry known as "Lollywood" is based in Lahore and Karachi.

Notable artists

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Singers

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Bands

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Composers

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Producers

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Music journalism

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Main article: Pakistani music journalism

Music journalism in Pakistan has grown over the years and most newspapers and TV channels have their own reporters and critics on music of Pakistan. Besides the newspapers, many news websites have also started giving coverage to Music in Pakistan. MangoBaaz, Musicians of Pakistan, and VeryFilmi are common examples.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Music and Dances of Pakistan, Musical Instruments of Pakistan". Government of Pakistan, National Heritage Wing website. Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Pakistan's Music Industry – A Historical Perspective | Pulse Connects". www.pulseconnects.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b Paracha, Nadeem F. (9 December 2010). "Popping Zia". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Times of the Signs | Blog | DAWN.COM". web.archive.org. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b Dillon, Michael R. "Wahhabism: Is it a Factor in the Spread of Global Terrorism". NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA.
  6. ^ a b Commins, David (20 February 2006). The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia. I. B. Tauris. pp. 191–192. ISBN 978-1845110802.
  7. ^ a b Pakistan - Music Under Siege, 101 East, Steve Chao, Abdul Aziz Ghazi, 22 October 2015, retrieved 19 November 2024{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. ^ a b Mansoor, Halima (3 March 2014). "Music and militancy: The decade of silence". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  9. ^ Mahmood, Rafay (12 June 2015). "Patari takes a hit as country's biggest record label threatens legal action". The Express Tribune. [...] EMI Pakistan holds licences to around 60,000 Pakistani artists and almost 70% of the total music of the country.
  10. ^ "Patari's profile".
  11. ^ "Regional Music | American Institute of Pakistan Studies". pakistanstudies-aips.org. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Baltistan is Beautiful Land of Mountain|Glaciar| Velleys". mybaltistan.com website. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  13. ^ Hussainabadi, Muhammad Yousuf: Balti Zaban 1990
  14. ^ "Classical Music | American Institute of Pakistan Studies". pakistanstudies-aips.org. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Chowk: Poetry: Socio-political History of Modern Pop Music in Pakistan". web.archive.org. 18 June 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  16. ^ Gopal, Sangita; Moorti, Sujata (2008). Global Bollywood: Travels of Hindi Song and Dance. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-4578-7.
  17. ^ "The Worlds Top Ten | BBC World Service". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  18. ^ Paracha, Nadeem F. (28 March 2013). "Times of the Signs". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  19. ^ "Pakistan's Music Industry – A Historical Perspective | Pulse Connects". www.pulseconnects.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Pakistan's Music Industry – A Historical Perspective | Pulse Connects". www.pulseconnects.com. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  21. ^ "GovInfo". www.govinfo.gov. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  22. ^ Moniquet, Calude (11 June 2013). "THE INVOLVEMENT OF SALAFISM/WAHHABISM IN THE SUPPORT AND SUPPLY OF ARMS TO REBEL GROUPS AROUND THE WORLD" (PDF). European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  23. ^ "Pakistan's Madrassahs: Ensuring a System of Education not Jihad". Brookings. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  24. ^ "Creating Enemies of the State: Religious Persecution in Uzbekistan: Notes on Wahhabism, "Wahhabis," and Hizb ut-Tahrir". www.hrw.org. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Sound of silence: Fearing for their life, Pakistan's Rabab musicians bow out". Arab News PK. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  26. ^ The World's Top Ten (most popular songs in 2003) BBC World Service website, Retrieved 13 October 2020
  27. ^ (Jon Pareles)In Performance: Pop; Divine and Secular Love Expressed in Rock Style New York Times, Published 8 May 2002, Retrieved 16 October 2020
  28. ^ Junoon Band's Concert in Observance of United Nations Day to be held in General Assembly Hall, 24 October 2001 United Nations website, Published 19 October 2001, Retrieved on 16 October 2020
  29. ^ Junoon band's performance for Nobel Peace Prize Concert at The Royal House of Norway website Published 17 December 2007, Retrieved 29 July 2020
  30. ^ (Turyal Azam Khan)'Pepsi Battle of the Bands' makes a powerful return Asia Times (newspaper), Published 24 July 2018, Retrieved 16 October 2020
  31. ^ Sajjad Ali, Ali Azmat draw big crowds at Lahore Music Meet Dawn newspaper, Published 12 March 2017, Retrieved 14 October 2020
  32. ^ "Atif Aslam Dhamaka London concert". 6 May 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  33. ^ "Bollywood Showstoppers Press conference". BOLLYSPICE website. 6 April 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  34. ^ a b "Three Generations of Songmakers". Dawn (newspaper). 4 August 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  35. ^ a b Remembering the legend (Mehdi Hassan) Dawn (newspaper), Published 13 June 2012, Retrieved 15 October 2020
  36. ^ "Classical singer Amanat Ali Khan remembered". The News International (newspaper). Associated Press of Pakistan. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  37. ^ Abida Parveen on allmusic.com website Retrieved 16 October 2020
  38. ^ Qawwal Amjad Sabri's obituary on The Telegraph (newspaper) Published 23 June 2016, Retrieved 15 October 2020
  39. ^ Profile of music director M. Ashraf on cineplot.com website Retrieved 15 October 2020
  40. ^ End of a legend: Fans pay tribute to Bangladeshi music director Robin Ghosh Dawn (newspaper), Published 13 February 2016, Retrieved 15 October 2020
  41. ^ Shades of glory: Sohail Rana Dawn (newspaper) Published 19 April 2009, Retrieved 15 October 2020
  42. ^ Arif, Aayan (19 March 2019). "Musicians Of Pakistan: Nescafe Basement Brings Aadat's Nostalgic Magic Back Leaving the Fans in Tears of Joy". Musicians Of Pakistan. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  43. ^ "Dream station productions launches Acoustic station". The Nation. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
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