Pakistan's singer-activist brigade swells

Pakistan's singer-activist brigade is swelling fast, reflecting the peoples desire for peace and an end to the terrorism and militancy that has hit the country hard.

First it was Shahram Azhar and Taimur Rahman of the band Laal who called fellow-citizens "ignorant" for not standing up for their rights; then Shahvaar Ali Khan's peace anthem No Saazish, No Jung clocked up numerous hits on his website, and now peace activist Arshad Bhatti is working on what he calls the "music of resistance".

Bhatti whose restaurant Civil Junction is a well-known hangout for social activists where one can have a cup of "Musharraf's Guespresso" or a glass of Pak Bharat Dosti has titled his debut single Gul karo bhai gul karo.

"Jung saazish nakam karo/ aman amaan ko aam kar/Jung bandi ka ehad karo/ Karrwattan ko shehad kar/ tajarat pe kaam karo/ safar te visaaam karo/ budzani ko raam karo/ Atom bomb tamam karo/ Sehat safai ghurbat ka/ Ik paidaar sa hull karo," goes the song.

The song is part of the "creative resistance" that Civil Junction has initiated under the banner of "Alternate Beats: Voices of Resistance and Passion".

It contains political commentary on Pakistan's 60 years and pokes fun of the concepts of masculinity and bravery, which it says has led to the current chaos in the country.