Texy Posted June 19, 2012 Posted June 19, 2012 PESHAWAR: A popular Pakistani singer who fled the Taliban to pursue her music career away from their repressive dictates was shot dead in the northwestern city of Peshawar, police said on Tuesday. Ghazala Javed, 24, was shot six times by gunmen as she left a beauty salon, although police do not believe the Taliban was responsible for her murder and said her ex-husband was a suspect in the case. Her father, who was with her, was also killed, police said. ŵwo men on a motorbike sprayed bullets and fled leaving them in a pool of blood, senior police officer Dilawar Bangash told AFP. She was shot six times and her father once in the head, Bangash said. Ÿe have registered a case and launched an investigation. The murder seems to be result of some internal dispute, he added. Police official Imtiaz Khan said the ex-husband was suspected of involvement in the murders. The singer had fled to Peshawar in 2009 to escape the then Taliban-dominated northwestern district of Swat as the army launched a sweeping offensive. Ghazala Javed sung in her native Pashto language and released more than two dozen albums that were popular among Pashto speakers in the northwest. She married businessman Jahangir Khan in 2010, but demanded a divorce after finding out he had another wife and because he tried to ban her from singing, the family said. Source: DAWN
Texy Posted June 19, 2012 Author Posted June 19, 2012 Although the reason behind her murder is still unclear, like other musicians of that area, Khan blames conservative groups that condemn the profession of art and culture for Javed’s demise. He supports his accusation by citing the murder of yet another versatile female singer, Aiman Udas, who was shot dead in 2009 by unknown assailants. “The new generation will hardly dare to come into this field now, because all they see is death waiting for them with open arms. The actors, singers and musicians should be provided security and protection if we want our Pashto culture to flourish,” says Khan. From Pak Tribune News
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