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Wednesday, 22 May 2013 1:28 pm
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Underground dance parties push the boundaries
ISLAMABAD - Women in short skirts and men with gelled hair bump and grind on a dance floor as a disc jockey pumps up the volume.
The air is thick with illicit smoke and shots of hard liquor are being passed around. Couples cuddle in a lounge.
This is not Saturday night at a club in New York, London or Paris.
It is the secret side of Pakistan, a Muslim nation often described in the West as a land of bearded, Islamic hardmen and repressed, veiled women.
Starting in the 1980s, Pakistan has been drifting towards a more conservative interpretation of Islam that has reshaped the political landscape, fuelled militancy and cowed champions of tolerance into silence.
But the country remains home to a large wealthy and Westernised elite that, in private, lives very differently.
Every weekend, fashion designers, photographers, medical students and businessmen gather at dozens of parties in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore to push social boundaries in discreet surroundings that would horrify, and enrage, advocates of the stricter brand of Islam.
“This is just epic,” said Numair Shahzada, bobbing his head to the beat at a party in a farmhouse outside Islamabad as fitness instructors moonlighting as bouncers looked on. “The light and smoke show is phenomenal.”
Young men and women mix freely, dancing, talking or drinking. Some curl up together in quiet areas.
Although alcohol is prohibited in the country, many have brought their own liquor. Whisky is carried in paper bags and vodka is disguised in water bottles arranged along the dance floor.
The party-goers form only a tiny minority of the country’s 180 million people, but overall, Pakistan is not repressive.
Women can drive, are enrolled in universities and have played prominent roles in politics. Unmarried men and women can interact without risking the wrath of religious police.
People from its most populous province, Punjab, are renowned for their exuberance.
But a conservative form of Islam is chipping away at the tolerance.
A few hours drive from Islamabad’s party circuit, parts of remote tribal regions have fallen under the sway of hardline Taliban militants, who dream of toppling the US-backed government and creating a society where revellers would face flogging, or worse.“Men and women who dance together are damned by God. Whenever we see such displays of vulgarity we will definitely make them a target,” said a senior Taliban commander.
Creeping Conservatism
While the vast majority of Pakistanis abhor the Taliban’s violence, there are many who share their belief that Islam should be Pakistan’s guiding force. Religious parties, which do poorly at the polls but exert considerable sway over public debate, believe Islam should govern all spheres of life.
“It’s so messed up,” said Myra, a 23-year-old Pakistani who has dyed her hair reddish-brown. “You see the servants and the drivers at the parties watching you and you wonder what kind of a person they think you are.”
To avoid prying eyes, the kind of alcohol-fuelled blow-outs enjoyed by Myra and her friends are held in lonely farm-houses in the outskirts of Islamabad and other cities, or in affluent neighbourhoods behind high walls.
Organisers charge on average a $60 entry fee, an amount most Pakistanis earn in a month.
Rafia, petite with long, black hair and wearing tight jeans and a low-cut black blouse, is a regular on the party scene.
She frowns on women who carry secret cell phones unmonitored by their parents and wear revealing outfits under conservative dress that come off before getting on the dance floor.
“You can either be God-fearing or you can party,” she said, taking a drag on a marijuana joint at a recent rave.
“I don’t pray regularly and I usually stick to my fast. But at the end of the day, I don’t say I am a very religious person.”
Not everyone agrees.
Bina Sultan, 40, an attractive fashion designer, showcases nude paintings and topless male models in shows. She also wears a silver pendant engraved with a verse from the Koran. “People think I am shameless but I am actually very religious,” she said at her studio, peppering her sentences with “jaani”, Urdu for darling, while chain smoking. “My faith is very strong. But everything I do is between my God and me.”
Lonely Liberal
Conservatism began sweeping through Pakistan during the military dictatorship of General Mohammad Zia ul-Haq in the 1980s under a drive to Islamise the state.
Zia’s policies are widely blamed for a creeping culture of intolerance that has further isolated liberals.
In the growing climate of fear, the space for liberal voices is shrinking.
Pakistani rapper Adil Omar, who attends weekend parties, pokes fun of the Taliban and rising conservatism in his songs. But he never goes too far.
“A lot of people seem to be torn and seem to have an identity crisis,” said Omar, who wears the traditional flowing shirt and baggy trousers. His elaborate forearm tatoo featuring a semi-naked woman and a unicorn has drawn fire on his Facebook page from some fans who see it as an offence to Islam. “I am careful not to give any opinions regarding religion on the record,” he said, adding: “I don’t want some crazy person chopping off my head.”
30 Responses to Underground dance parties push the boundaries
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sakon na lene dena mediaaa waloo dafa kiu nahi ho jatayyy
sakon na lene dena mediaaa waloo dafa kiu nahi ho jatayyy
Big deal!!!come on guys live and let live!
being from a Western society, the United States, partying is not all it’s cracked up to be, drinking and drugging are the downfall of society, it’s sad to see.
Its so embarrassing that the country I take pride in being from is ruining its Islamic image.Right now there is a Film Fare awards are going on my Dish Net work ,on Pakistani Express channel. Which is beyond my comprehension,why they are showing this? My country that I left 25 years ago,is changed to this extent, I feel ashamed of those farm house parties,where is the police and the government ?
Pakistan is an Islamic country only verbally and you find here every sort of bad things like killing of innocent people,fuking,kidnaping,looting,cheating,allegations on each other without witnessing any facts,backbiting and other uncountable bad habits and actions which a gentle or religious person avoids are freely going on in Pakistan without any SHARM WA HIYA.Where we are going O ALLAH HUM SAB KO RAHE MUSTAQEEM PE SABIT QADAM RAKH AND PROTACT OUR PAKISTAN FROM ALL THESE BLOODY EVIL`S FUNCTIONS AND ACTIONS AAMEEN.BILLIONS OF BILLIONS LAANAT ON SHAITAN AND IT`S FOLLOWERS.PAKISTAN ZINDABAD ISLAM ZINDABAD.
Embarrassing & shameful ,this is not my Pakistan.Where are we heading,where is the government and the police
We want this country just like any other country of the world. Those who want this place back in the years of G Zia, should shift to waziristan.
People dont know how to enjoy life and want to live under strict Islamic law, then pls pack your stuff and move to waziristan.
Iffat, govt. and elite are very much part of this crap unfortunately. Junita is absolutely right.
Pakistan was made for these dumb ass peoples to enjoy life on aids from foreign countries .Since its independance it is a dependant state .
lol agree
reporter is inspired by so called terrorists or one of them.
Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone. Stop hating you all.
Prophet(pbuh) said, Every son of Adam is a sinner and the best of sinners are those who repent.
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What is a 'sin' Miss sarah?
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@ Iffat, its none of your business. Let the people enjoy.. dont try to impose your views on others.
@ They are not causing any harm to you or your family….
@ Big deal!!!come on guys live and let live!
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This is so typical mind set … nothing happens, live and let live, enjoy !
IS THAT REALLY THE CASE ?
Let's see what Allah(swt) says,
[ And When some of them said: "WHY DO YE PREACH TO A PEOPLE WHOM ALLAH WILL DESTROY OR VISIT WITH A TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT?"- said the preachers:" TO DISCHARGE OUR DUTY TO YOUR LORD, AND PERCHANCE(perhaps) THEY MAY FEAR HIM."] Quran(Al-Araf, 7:164)
[ When they disregarded the warnings that had been given them,
We **RESCUED** THOSE WHO *FORBADE EVIL*;
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AND SEIZED THOSE WHO WRONGED, WITH A WRETCHED( terrible ) PUNISHMENT,
**************************************************************
because they were defiantly disobeying.] Quran(Al-Araf, 7:165)
* Now try telling Allah(swt) …. let us live and enjoy !
** REPENT O People, Repent.
O Allah forgive us our sins and forgive this nation who is hell bent in committing the same sins as the case of old generations. O Allah, we seek refuge from your punishment and from you anger.
* May Allah(swt) save those who forbade evil, Aameen Ya Arhamar Rahemeen, Aameen
Its a pity that a country which was created on the basis of Islam is now inhabited by rapists,alcoholics and messed up people who think being liberal will get them noticed!
All those people who feel sad and dejected after reading this article,wait and pray!..Allah is watching them…
The people which are doing such activities mostly having black money,or not paying tax according to law.
shame shame!!!!!!!! the government must ban such parties… it is against islam… they must be thrown into jail ..very sad this is..
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islam is against so may things! The government must ban islam …
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cooool…. more parties in pakistan should be,,,,the youth of india is with the youth of pakistan
agree to every single word of yours…. none of my business what people do, but ''dramatisation'' of rape scenes, prostitution on TV and now glorifying this crap,,,, I dont know who is behind this ''free media''.
If they are doing it privatly, they are respecting the ethics of majority…but u sir, the writer…u are the one spreading nuisence and words of vurgularity..I wish you a moral mind with ethical thinking to wwrite about!
All this happening as per desire of jewish lobby.they r totally holding world economy .
we r all living on income based on intrest which iz totally haram .follower of interst systen iz in sexual relation with his mother as islam.
elite class all over the world iz captured by these dajjal s son.
they r paving the way for dajjal
O all of the jewish lobby nd some commenters listen carefully.
i knw u r in fear that if muslims will get in power they will bring actual revolution.
as said by non muslim tht if Hazrat (Umer r.a) ruled for more ten years there had been no non muslim in the world.
u r using these ways in muslim countries for spreading unreal face of islam.bt u r planings r temporary.u hv no land in the world jews.
my request to the jewishs is tht please stop it .wrong iz temporary.be muslim nd be dominant in future wid us
sorry i take my words backs about jewish lobby .i m nt judge to decide .
i hv realised my mistake.
Iffat, its none of your business. Let the people enjoy.. dont try to impose your views on others. If you dont know how to enjoy life.. its your choice.
But dont stop others ..
It really is not your Pakistan Iffat. This is OUR Pakistan. Live and let others live! They are not causing any harm to you or your family. They are living their lives and are not trying to stop you living yours. So let them live as they are letting you live.
shame on u…atleat thnk b4 u comment