PESHAWAR, March 17: After a three-year break from the entertainment industry, Pashto folk singers Zarsanga and Khan Tehsil made their public appearance together at a private TV function on Saturday.

Before holding participants spellbound by performing popular numbers, the two complained of being ignored by the society and the government.

Wearing traditional dresses, they regretted the government, TV and radio channels and people didn’t give them appropriate opportunities to perform and thus, subjecting them and their families to severe financial hardship.

“We are poor and old but our hearts are young and can still spellbind audiences by our melodious voices. It is a sad fact that Pakhtuns don’t give us due respect,” Mr Tehsil said.

When asked if they received any threat from militants, the singers replied in negative and said their music purified people’s hearts and doing so was not a sin. They, however, said opportunities for displaying their art in public were minimised to a considerable extent.

“We are no longer invited to wedding ceremonies and other functions due to the delicate law and order situation. In a sense, militancy affected us, too,” Mr Tehsil said.

He also complained of low payment by sponsors and said since singers provided quality music to listeners, so there should be a handsome money for them.

“Money can’t match talent but during these times of high inflation, at least one should receive a satisfactory compensation.

“When we were young, we used to entertain people wherever and whenever they called us but now-a-days, nobody cares about our plight,” he said.

Ms Zarsanga said Pakhtuns should not mind but their conduct towards artists, especially singers, was against their long-cherished traditions and that she had rejected several times offers of their fans to stay abroad and always preferred to live with their own people but she had regretfully been abandoned.

Talking about traditional and modern Pashto music, the two said traditional music appealed to hearts, while modern music lasted only a few days.

“Some of them may be good but the new ‘computer singers’ should sing original Pashto music not alien tunes,” Zarsanga said.

Later, the two sang their popular songs, including ‘Rasha Maama Zoey De Lewanai Dey’ and ‘Zama Da Kharu Jaamu Yaara’, to the delight of participants.