PESHAWAR: Senior Pashto singer Gulzar Alam has returned from Afghanistan after spending four years in Kabul due to his business issues in Peshawar.

Four years ago, he developed some issues with local traders in Peshawar which forced him to travel to Kabul for security of his family members and to avoid clash. He continued efforts to get his issues with rival traders resolved peacefully through a jirga.

Literary and cultural organisations, social activists and fans welcomed Gulzar Alam to his homeland.

Rashid Khan, chief of Hunari Welfare Society, said that artists lauded return of Gulzar Alam and would organise a musical concert in his honour in Peshawar.

Gulzar Alam plans to set up art academy in Islamabad

He said that he appealed to other senior and junior artists, who had been living abroad, to return and serve as strong voice of the local artists and performers.

“We cannot afford losing such senior artists at any cost. We ask government to ensure safety and create opportunity for artists and artists so that they could serve their people in a befitting manner. Gulzar Alam is an asset for Pashto folk music and among living legends. He loves his people and country more than other land,” said Mr Khan.

In a chat with this scribe here on Monday, Gulzar Alam revealed the actual situation behind his alleged exile and request for asylum in Afghanistan. He said that he had neither put up any appeal for asylum nor sought any sort of assistance from Afghan government.

“I had just moved my family members to Kabul as they were under threats of being attacked by my rival traders. I opted to live there on my own green passport in a rented flat not from far away from Pakistan embassy in Afghan capital. I had gone there with attention to be back home once my issues get resolved through a jirga,” he said.

Mr Alam said that he returned to Peshawar two weeks ago to attend funeral rituals of his father and also found opportunity to do two Pashto albums and recorded playback songs for two Pashto movies.

He rejected the allegations that he had sung numbers against Pakistan or had given remarks opposed to his homeland and people.

“I have spent four years in Kabul with my fans, who had been in Peshawar for decades and never put up any request for financial assistance to any Afghan government institution including culture department. I used to attend and perform at private functions and used to sing popular numbers advocating peace, brotherhood, mutual understanding and national cohesion,” he said.

Talking about future plans, the artist said he had a plan to set up an art academy in Islamabad where he would teach young artists and would also launch albums for his YouTube channel. “Pakistan is my country I would continue to contribute to Pashto folk music,” he added.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2020