Music Concert at United Nations Prays for Swat
Salman Ahmed
United Nations : Hundreds of music fans and diplomats from around the world rose in prayer for Pakistan's stability and welfare of its conflict-affected people of Swat region at the end of a music concert in the UN General Assembly hall on Saturday night.
The concert, sponsored by the Pakistani Mission to the UN, was put together by Salman Ahmad, founder of Pakistan's famed rock group Junoon and a UN Goodwill Ambassador.
International singers performed in the three-hour event in the gold-and-blue hall, which was packed to capacity. Their songs dealt with themes of peace, non-violence and community spirit.
Leading the prayers for Pakistan was Samina Ahmad, Salman's wife. With her voice breaking with emotion, she spoke about the dire needs of the displaced people in Pakistan's north-west and urged the people, who braved inclement weather to watch the "Concert for Pakistan", to help them.
In between the performances, some prominent figures like Nobel Laureate RK Pachauri and singer Sting made fervent calls for unity to defeat the terrorists who kill innocent people. They called for helping Pakistan deal with the threat posed by Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
The concert opened with Pakistan's national anthem, played by the Salman-led Junoon band. Demark's award-winning hip-hop group " Outlandish", which was led by Waqas Ali Qadri, a Dane of Pakistani origin, also drew huge applause. Pakistan 's UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon said he was absolutely delighted that the event was such a big success.
