Strings & Atif Aslam: ‘Azme Alishan is the answer to our challenge’

Strings and Atif have made an Azm to rebuild Pakistan with Azme Alishan

Internationally acclaimed Pakistani pop artists endorse Azme Alishan by donating their inspirational song Ab Khud Kuch Karna Paray Ga

Karachi, Tuesday 28th September: Multi-award winning Pakistani pop artists the Strings and Atif Aslam have thrown their weight behind the fast-growing Azme Alishan initiative by donating their latest hit song to the patriotic movement at a special press conference in Karachi today.

The song “Ab Khud Kuch Karna Paray Ga” (We need to do something for ourselves) – a Strings collaboration with the international renowned and popular vocalist Atif Aslam – was launched to critical acclaim in July, its inspirational lyrics striking a chord with the youth in particular. However, many people responded by asking what they could practically do to make a difference. The artists’ have found positivity in Azme Alishan and its activities seen over the year.

“Azme Alishan is all about bringing people together and encouraging them to commit to building a better future for Pakistan” said Bilal Maqsood of the Strings band. “Since the campaign launched in March we’ve seen it make a real difference by giving a voice to the silent majority and by taking action to genuinely make life better for people in our nation” said Faisal Kapadya of the Strings.

Both Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadya pointed to the recent Azme Alishan Flood Relief drive as an example of the kind of thing people can do to make a change in the country. The relief drive mobilised a wide network of Azme Alishan volunteers to collect and distribute much-needed food supplies to displaced families in relief camps in the Southern Punjab and Sindh region. Other similar initiatives have taken place since its launch, such as a massive street cleaning in local mohallas and tree planting campaign in Lahore and a special schools road show where students made their own ‘azms’ to build a better country.

“As a proud Pakistani, I would like to see more positive things bringing all Pakistanis together as one nation – to make Pakistan better”, said the pop star Atif Aslam.

Ab Khud Kuch Karna Paray Ga will become Azme Alishan’s anthem, and will be promoted through a special 45-second television video where the artists endorse the movement and call on fellow Pakistanis to join in.

Taher A. Khan, founder patron of Azme Alishan, welcomed the endorsement and thanked Strings and Atif Aslam for their support. “Such high-profile support for Azme Alishan shows that the movement’s message of peace, pride and patriotism is resonating amongst Pakistanis from all spheres of life, which is why Azme Alishan has grown so large so quickly” he said. “Strings and Atif Aslam’s call to action “Ab Khud Kuch Karna Paray Ga”, captures the sentiment of our movement perfectly. We’re delighted to have them on board as our ambassadors and to adopt their inspirational song as our anthem for Azme Alishan”.

Azme Alishan is a national awareness drive initiated in March to celebrate the true values of Pakistan in this its 70th anniversary year. The campaign is independent of government and supported by a consortium of Pakistan’s leading media groups. For more information, please visit www.azmealishan.com

Watch the Press Conference below: