LAHORE: After the Punjab government withdrew its support and logistics for the holding the concert of Romanian pop band Akcent over response on the electronic and social media, the band performed at the Alhamra Cultural Complex on Sunday. It was earlier scheduled to perform at Governor House.

Since the Romanian band was invited and payments were made, it performed at cultural complex before a large crowed but without any gesture for held Kashmir.

The Punjab government on Saturday had advertised that Akcent would perform at Governor House to ‘express solidarity with the Kashmiris’.

Chief Minister’s Taskforce on Women Development chairperson Tanzila Imran Khan, the host of the event, had said she had herself had contacted the band’s lead Adrian Sina and made payments from her own pockets to raise voice for the oppressed Kashmiris.

However, after social media users questioned the logic behind using a holding a concert raise voice for Kashmir, the government, including Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, withdrew support for the event. The government also did not allow the organisers (J.H. Entertainment) to provide Kashmir flags to the concert participants. All flexes referring to the oppression on Kashmiris were also pulled down.

“Romanian band’s lead vocalist Adrian Sina also felt disappointed as he came to know that he will not utter a single word about Kashmir and Kashmiris,” an organiser told Dawn.

It is also learnt Ms Tanzila had also scheduled Sina’s press conference at Governor House, which has also been cancelled.

“The Akcent event is now simply a music concert without any political or diplomatic agenda,” an organiser added.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2019