National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) organized a launching ceremony of a music album 'Geet Aman Kay' held at Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Auditorium in Faisalabad

Faisalabad, Pakistan: March 28, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

On 25th March 2010, The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) organized a launching ceremony of a music album ‘Geet Aman Kay’ held at Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Auditorium in Faisalabad, which was attended by over 550 Muslim and Christian participants from different walks of life. The launching ceremony included; singing of selected songs, mime performances and commentary on the production for peace. During the ceremony, Father Nisar Barkat (Director-NCJP), Robin Yamin (SP Admin), Father Khalid Rasheed Asi, Father Pervez Emmanuel, Jackson Gill and Pastor Emric Joseph shared their comments on various aspects of the production for peace. The speakers termed ‘religious extremism, sectarian differences, hate speeches and advertising of discriminatory material against any religion or sect’ as hurdles in the way of peace and harmony. “Since all religions spread message of peace and reconciliation, therefore every citizen should play positive and constructive role for the promotion of culture of peace, harmony and tolerance to make Pakistan a peaceful place to live in”, they added. At this juncture, Melvin Mal, Kiran Afzaal, Amir Jackson and Goshi Talib sang few songs from the music album, while Channan Theater performed a tableau depicting the law and order situation in Pakistan .

This collection of 18 songs in six languages spoken in Pakistan is based on themes related to peace and humanity reflecting diverse cultural expressions, different colours and shades of Pakistan ; is unique in many ways.

This production by NCJP, a human rights body, brings different cultures, languages and artists of Pakistan together to reclaim the composite heritage of peaceful way of life, lost to the psyche of war and possession. The transcending effect of music beyond boundaries and biases of cast, colour, language and creed is reflected in the entire production as poetry and music from different areas and ages encompass common aspirations.

The Urdu section of the album has compositions by Prof. Israr Ahmed, Atta-ur-Rehaman Saman, Ikram John, Noel Jamshed, and M. Aslam, while the poetry of Allma Iqbal, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Nazir Qaisar, Sheraz Raj and Peter Jacob has been included in the production. The singers in Urdu section are Muhammad Saddique, Humaira Channa, Anila Khokhar, Melvin Mal, Javed Gabriel, Anita Tariq, and Shazia Manzoor.

Saraiki, Baluchi, Pushto, Sindhi and Punjabi poetry of Aziz Shahid, Munir Fatimi, Irshad Taunsvi Must Tawakali, Azad Jamaldini, Rehman Baba, Saif-ur-Rehman Saleem, Shah Abdullatif Bhittai, Sheikh Iyaz, Amarta Preetam, Najam Hussain Syed, and Wajahat Masood has been composed or recited, along with their translation in Urdu.

Songs in Saraiki have been rendered by singers Shumaila Khan, Nadeem Abbas, in Pashto by Sitara Younas and Zulfiqar Bhatti, and in Punjabi by Afshan and Melvin Mal. Sindhi and Balochi songs have been composed and rendered by accomplished singers Humaira Channa and Nur Muhammad Nural respectively.