Srinagar: Online threats and pressure from religious and radical groups forced the Kashmir Valley's first girl rock band to disband but it has not dampened the spirits of many among the fairer sex, who want to pursue a career in music and singing.
This was evident from the fact that as many 10 girls out of 25 singers made it to the finale of 'Choona Hai Aasmaan' (Reach the sky) Season Three held in Srinagar on Thursday. "We are not worried about the threats (issued by religious and other groups). Singing is my passion and I will sing whenever I get a chance," Sabiya Shah, one of the contestants who made it to the finale, said.
The sizeable participation of girls in the singing talent hunt competition comes less than three months after 'Pragaash' (light), the first girl rock band of Kashmir, was forced to disband. The 10th-class students - vocalist-guitarist Noma Nazir, drummer Farah Deeba and guitarist Aneeka Khalid - had formed the band and performed in December 2012 with a scintillating performance at the annual 'Battle of the Bands' competition here and won the best performance award in their first public appearance.
However, within days after their performance, the band started receiving online threats and absurd comments which was followed up with a 'fatwa' (religious decree) issued by Grand Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad. The girls decided not to sing in the wake of Mufti's decree....
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02:26 AM, Feb 08, 2013
Three persons have been arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with the alleged online abuses and threats to the all-girls rock band, Pragaash. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "I'm glad the police in Kashmir has identified and arrested people for the online threats made to the girls. I'm told more arrests are possible." ...
09:20 AM, Feb 07, 2013
Two youth were arrested on Wednesday night in connection with the online abuses and threats to the all-girl rock band of Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "I'm glad the police in Kashmir have identified and arrested 2 people for the online threats made to the girls. I'm told more arrests are possible." ...
02:26 AM, Feb 07, 2013
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11:54 PM, Feb 06, 2013
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11:05 PM, Feb 06, 2013
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03:40 AM, Feb 06, 2013
Srinagar Police on Tuesday filed an FIR against those who posted online abuse and threats aimed at the valley's first girls-only rock band. But the band members said they gave up after the state's Grand Mufti's fatwa. ...
10:52 PM, Feb 05, 2013
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08:48 PM, Feb 05, 2013
Main Opposition party leader Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday condemned the Omar Abdullah government for what she called "delayed response" to the fatwa against Kashmir's first girl band. ...
06:45 PM, Feb 05, 2013
One of the members of Pragaash, Jammu and Kashmir's first girl band, on Tuesday broke her silence and said that they decided to quit because they respected the Grand Mufti's decision and not because of the abuses and threats hurled at them on Facebook. Speaking to CNN-IBN, the girl said that she was too small to know whether music was un-Islamic or not and that the Grand Mufti would be...
05:21 PM, Feb 05, 2013
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03:20 PM, Feb 05, 2013
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11:40 PM, Feb 04, 2013
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that full security will be provided to the members of the state's first girl band if they wanted to pursue their music career. "The decision to continue or not continue lies with the band. Jammu and Kashmir always had a musical history. The girls can continue their musical career. The state will provide security," said Omar, in an interview to...
07:20 PM, Feb 04, 2013
Jammu and Kashmir today lost its only all-girls rock band, Pragaash, as its three teenage members decided to call it quits, a day after the Grand Mufti issued a fatwa terming singing as un-Islamic and asked them to abandon it. The band hit the limelight in December 2012 when they won the annual 'Battle of the Bands' in what was their very first public appearance. But things went downhill when...
07:05 PM, Feb 04, 2013
