With Pak's Junoon in full blast, Kashmir sings to peace, unity

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In the media Riyaz Wani, The Indian Express, Srinagar - 26th May 2008

The scene was like a postcard image of Kashmir - but superimposed with visuals straight from the Woodstock music festival. As the Pakistani Sufi rock band Junoon sang its popular compositions against the backdrop of the hills and the tranquil expanse of the Dal Lake, the predominantly youthful audience went into a trance, expecillay when the group performed its biggest hit Sayonee. A jugalbandi with tabla maestro Pandit Samir Chatterjee also received an enthusiastic response. The crowld clapped, it roared and it sang alone.

"We are all one. Beware of the people who divide", said lead singer of the band Salman Ahmad in his loaded remarks between songs. "India and Pakistan may be two countries but a GT Road connects us from Calcutta through Lahore to Kabul".

The only reminder that that all was not completely idyllic was the motion of an odd security boat and the occasional hovering of a helicopter.

The audience had several VVIPS to merit such caution. There was the former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyer, Husna Bano, the Afgan Minister of State for Women's Affairs, Afghan Ambassador Dr Syed Makhdoun Raheen, PCC chief Saifundin Soz and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

And even though the chairman of the United Jehad Council, Syed Salahuddin had denounced the concert in a statement - saying that the Pakistan Government should stop the concert to prevent India from making Kashmir look like an "integral part" of it - it was a success. When Ahmad urged the crowd to "sing to (Kashmi's) spirituality, to peace", the thousands of people there obeyed.