PESHAWAR: Noted Tablanawaz Zulfiqar Afridi and his son Siddiq Malang, a young rabab player, launched an album of national songs’ tunes on social media here on Tuesday to show their love for their homeland and people.

The duo told this scribe that being instrumentalists, they wanted to release an album carrying tunes of popular Urdu and Pashto songs as a tribute to the freedom fighters on Independence Day and also to show solidarity with the people of India-held Kashmir.

A large number of Pashto folk singers including Karan Khan, Bakhtiar Khattak, Humayun Khan, Zeek Afridi and Haroon Bacha have released their solo performances for the Independence Day while rabab maestros Gulab Afridi and Amjad Malang also have launched their tunes of national songs on their YouTube channels.

Prof Abaseen Yousafzai in his comments remarked that paying musical tribute was a welcoming trend. He said that praising sacrifices of national heroes by folk artists and instrumentalists was, however, not something new. He said that the recent trend should be encouraged.

Zulfiqar Afridi said that artists had always echoed out their feelings and emotions with the homeland and people on all important occasions through their art and motivated a spirit of patriotism among people.

He said that his artist son planned an album titled ‘Qaumi Jazba’ (national spirit) to be released for August 14 and fortunately it worked out as its promo on social media garnered a widespread appreciation.

Siddiq Malang said that since long, he had been wishing of launching an album in which he and his father both played tunes of popular national numbers of Urdu and Pashto. He said that he first made a fine selection of national songs sung by legendary Mehdi Hasan, Madam Noor Jahan, Syed Amanat Ali Khan, Khial Mohammad, Mashooq Sultan and Hidayatullah.

“I am born into a music family and since 6th grade, I have fallen in love with instrumental music. I learnt rabab playing from my uncle Amjad Malang in about six years. I would always love to practice with tunes of national songs. I have recently passed my first year intermediate examination as a private candidate along with my music career,” said the young artist.

Mr Malang said that the duo of father and son had already got an overwhelming response on social media from audience for their live performance. He said that artists could play a significant role in inspiring a spirit of national integration through tunes and voices and they should rise up to every such great occasion where their art could help trigger a national spirit among people.

He said that his album was not for any commercial purpose and was just an expression of solidarity with Kashmiris and a tribute to national heroes on Independence Day.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2019