Caught between rock and a holy place

By Burhan Wazir, Karachi
Sunday May 2, 1999

Classes at St Jude's High School in Karachi normally end at 2 pm. Two weeks ago, however, a group of teenagers stayed on for an impromptu appearance by the banned Pakistani rock group Junoon (Obsession).

In a crowded school hall, the two Pakistanis and one white New Yorker performed to a hand-picked gathering. It was a a low-key gig, particularly for a group who sold two million copies of theirlast album in Pakistan alone.

But only subterfuge allows South Asia's most successful pop group to perform in Pakistan these days. Despite worldwide sales estimated at 20 million albums, the group's videos and shows have been banned twice by the Pakistani government since 1996. A prohibition on large-scale concerts restricts the band to private performances in schools.

Over the next two weeks the trio will undertake a major US tour. A recent show at the Nassau Coliseum attracted more than 50,000 fans. A British tour in late June will attract similar numbers.

Pop music maintains a precarious hold over Pakistani youth culture. The state-run Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) shows several weekly pop shows, and a burgeoning bootleg industry underpins an insatiable demand for Spice Girls, Madonna and Bon Jovi CDs.

But it took the launch of MTV India in 1995 to internationalise Pakistan's music scene. There are an estimated 500 million viewers throughout India and Pakistan. and the station has been instrumental in breaking Pakistani acts such as Junoon. PTV, however, has refused to play the band's videos. The problems began when the group updated a poem by late Pakistani poet Alama Iqbal. Iqbal's writings are prescribed reading in Pakistan's schools and universities. Marble busts of the poet decorate the nation's workplaces.

The interpretation of Iqbal's most famous poem, 'Khudi Ko Kar Buland' (Lift Your Spirits High) was banned on its release. So too were videos and live concerts.

We were just trying to update his poetry for a younger generation,' said founder member Salman Ahmad. 'We have as much respect for Alama Iqbal as anyone else. We wanted to show just how timeless his sentiments are. But politicians here misunderstood us as being disrespectful.'

Months later, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government offered to lift the ban to allow the group to record a charity single. Any proceeds from the proposed 'Get Rid Of The Debt and Save The Country' would be used to trim the country's crippling £2 billion debt to the International Monetary Fund.

Junoon declined. 'We didn't want to be used as puppets of the state,' said Ahmad. Enraged by the public refusal, the government ordered the ban to stay in force.

During last summer's tour of India the group were asked by CNN, the BBC and Asian satellite station Zee TV for their views on the region's nuclear arms race. 'Wouldn't it be better for India and Pakistan to try to inspire each other in the areas of education, health and economic development?' Ahmad asked.

On their return, Pakistan's Ministry of Culture charged the group with comments amounting to sedition and treason. The ban on large-scale live performances was announced.

'It's impossible to play in our own country,' said Ahmad. 'But our persecution is pointless, given that we can hop across the border and play in India to crowds of 50,000 whenever we want. People our age don't hold the same grievances as our forefathers - we're not interested in petty squabbling with India.'

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