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Ghazala Javed and father buried
Singer and father were shot to death in Peshawar June 18
By Ashfaq Yusufzai
2012-06-19
PESHAWAR – Beloved Pashtu singer Ghazala Javed, 29, was buried in her ancestral graveyard in Mingora, Swat, June 19, amid outpourings of grief from family and fans.
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![Ghazala Javed takes a break during a recording session at Nishtarabad, Peshawar, June 11. The popular Pashtu singer and her father were shot to death June 18 in Peshawar. [Ashfaq Yusufzai]](/shared/images/2012/06/19/pakghazala1.jpg)
Ghazala Javed takes a break during a recording session at Nishtarabad, Peshawar, June 11. The popular Pashtu singer and her father were shot to death June 18 in Peshawar. [Ashfaq Yusufzai]
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![Police, reporters and local residents June 18 gather in the Dabgari Garden neighbourhood, Peshawar, where Pashtu singer Ghazala Javed and her father were slain, allegedly by her ex-husband. [Ashfaq Yusufzai]](/shared/images/2012/06/19/pakghazala2.jpg)
Police, reporters and local residents June 18 gather in the Dabgari Garden neighbourhood, Peshawar, where Pashtu singer Ghazala Javed and her father were slain, allegedly by her ex-husband. [Ashfaq Yusufzai]
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![Swat residents carry the coffins of Ghazala Javed and her father to the graveyard in Swat June 19. [Zahir Shah]](/shared/images/2012/06/19/pakghazala3.jpg)
Swat residents carry the coffins of Ghazala Javed and her father to the graveyard in Swat June 19. [Zahir Shah]
Police accuse her former husband, Jahangir Khan, of shooting her in the Dabgari Garden, an old section of Peshawar, June 18. Javed was emerging from a beauty parlour when two armed men on a motorbike opened fire, killing her and her father, Muhammad Javed. Her sister, Farhat Javed, escaped injury.
Hundreds of mourners attended her funeral and prayed for her soul.
“She died before being rushed to the hospital,” Dr. Muhammad Ihsan of Lady Reading Hospital said. “She sustained multiple injuries from six bullets.”
Ex-husband prime suspect
Javed married Jahangir, a real estate dealer, in 2010. But the marriage lasted only six months. Jahangir is the prime suspect and remains at large, Superintendent of Police Asif Iqbal said.
“Still, we are looking at the (possible) involvement of Taliban militants who in the past have threatened musicians and singers,” City Police officer Asif Iqbal said.
Javed began her career as a dancing girl in 2003, and reached the spotlight in 2008 when she began singing. She quickly drew crowds to her concerts, helped by her glamour. During her brief career, she shared the microphone with vocalists like Rahim Shah and Gulzar Alam. Javed entertained Pashtuns abroad with her tours to Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.
But her 2010 marriage interrupted her career.
“Her husband stopped her from singing, which saddened her a great deal,” her sister Farhat told Central Asia Online. “She used to say that music was her passion and that she couldn’t survive without it.”
Javed’s marriage to Jahangir proved a disaster, and she sought a divorce after complying with his demand she give up singing. “Her marriage was on the rocks from day one,” Farhat said. “Only six months ago, she had started singing again.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain condemned her killing and ordered an inquiry. “Her killers would not remain at large for too long as the police would arrest them soon,” he said June 19.
Farhat has lodged a First Investigation Report against three persons: Jahangir, Nasir Khan and Salam Khan Afridi. “We were coming to Nishtarabad locality, where Ghazala was recording a song for a new Pashtu film,” she said. “Before going to the parlour, she went to Nishtarabad to see the arrangements.”
"The complainant Farhat Javed, sister of the deceased singer, had nominated people in the FIR, and now police have no doubt about the involvement of anyone else in the case," investigating officer Aslam Khan, an inspector at Sha Qabool Police Station, said.
Career highlights
Javed is best remembered for the songs “Mena Darogh De Janan Ho Lag Rasha Kana,” “Nara Nara Baran De,” and “Juda Rana Janan De.” Her latest song, “Meena Ba Kaoo Jana,” recently appeared in CD stalls. She had been planning to launch a new album.
Unlike many singers who fled the country to escape the music-hating Taliban or suffered at their hands, Javed appears to have become the victim of a failed marriage. She fled to Peshawar in 2009 as the military cracked down on the Taliban in Swat, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Nisar Muhammad Khan, former director of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Peshawar Centre, expressed his sorrow. “She had immense love for music,” he recalled. “She used to sing in wedding ceremonies in neighbourhoods when she was just seven.”
She deserved much appreciation for staying in Swat until 2009, even as the Taliban brutalised performers, he said. Heartbroken fans condemned her slaying and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
“I regularly listen to her melodious songs,” Gul Ghutai, an eighth-grade student at the University Model School, University of Peshawar, told Central Asia Online. “She sang from the heart, going straight to the listeners’ hearts and minds.” Javed had a humble character but great beauty, she added.
Performers will not be deterred by such incidents, said Javid Babar, president of the Artists Welfare Association Zoom.
“We have been facing the wrath of the Taliban for a long time,” he said. “But we are determined to entertain people.”
“Ghazala was a huge entertainer, and she would remain alive for ever,” he said. “Not only her fair complexion but the way she sang, created thousands of fans.” In 2009, another singer, Ayman Udas, was killed in Peshawar, allegedly by her brothers because they objected to her singing career.
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Reader Comments
I am an Iranian and I really like her songs and I advised many of my friends to listen to her songs.
Hello. Thank you. I cannot believe that dear Ghazala is no longer with us. Oh God... why?! When I remember her, I want to scream. It was too soon for her to die. I have her picture in my mobile phone. Whenever I look at her picture, tears appear in my eyes and I cry spontaneously. May peace be upon her soul and may God lead her to his spacious paradise. May God's curse be upon those who martyr such young individuals! I am extremely upset.
I became very sad, too! I was her number one fan and I loved her so very much! I love you! Thank you.
The report was good.
Ghazala Javed was the one whom I loved very much and whom I will never forget. She will remain in my heart forever. May peace be upon her soul.
Disobedience of the God will bring bad fate. It is a good thing that she died. She will be punished for her [lack of proper] Hijab in the other world. May God's curse be upon her! Fattaneh Ghayour
Ghazala was lovely and I loved her and I will love her forever. Yadolle.
I became extremely sad for dear Ghazala! Indeed, she had an impressive and plaintive voice. Alas, for the magical youth and beauty of Ms. Ghazala.
Hello! Yes, Yes! I, too, am sorry that they died!
Yes, Yes! She was a good artist! But not that good! Ha ha ha!
I am Iranian and I was very sad when I heared the news. I used to listen to a very beautiful song and I just found out that the singer who sang this song was indeed Ghazala. May God never forgive them. She really was a beautiful girl.
Ghazala Javed was not only a Pakistani singer. Indeed, she was in the hearts of all Afghan people. She didn't deserve to be killed, for she was a source of honor. May she rest in peace.
I am very sad that Ghazala Javed is dead, because she captured the hearts of her fans, though she was still in the early stages of her life. This was an act conducted by criminals and barbarians.
I am definately against unnecessary and pointless killings. This is in accordance to what God has said in His holy book, the great Koran, that is killing one human being unjustifiably is like killing all human beings. I denounce such actions. On the other hand, I advise all families not to prepare the background for their best and their worst daughters to be killed. This means that when you demonstrate your beautiful daughter in public, she attracts everyone and finally this will bring misfortune and misery to your daughter. As a Muslim, I would also like to call all the Islamic governments to establish Islamic sharia law within the bounties of their influence and control. Sharia law is in fact the law of God. This way, no opportunist will find the opportunity to kill someone, rightfully or not, when a crime is about to happen.
I am very sad about Ghazaleh Javed's fate. May God bless her soul.
Greetings to the martyr Ghazala Javid. I wish you will be happy in your entire life.
i am so sad about the ghazala jan javed because she was in the spring sesons of her life and in this time the death was not resonable for ghazala jan javed body .
Oh you, the sign of infinity! Majnun was driven to frenzy by these prejudices! For how long do you want to pick off the flowers of this bough? This cloak won't come to an end!
She was a great artist, myself a friend & a fan. i had told her to be careful & shift to Islamabad or Kabul or Dubai, she never took seriously & played no heed. The fact that Swat Chapter TTP had sent her a letter to stop performing is proof enough to seal her fate, husband is involved or not remains for the police to investigate the causes of great loss to Pushtun musical icon.
iam so sad that she was killed her season of her teenag,it was said,that good person will never alive into this world.
God has created this world and all its beauties for all human beings, and not just for men. It is the human being who plays his role in the procedure of the development of the nature. To determine the limits of the freedom of human being and to decide on the social regulations, one needs a scientific ideology and a vast vision. One should never silence voices and lives, just to give in to a deterred traditional approach. It is now high time punishing the individual, the party or the state that uses this deplorable dark approach. A publicly accepted justice worldwide should now prevail everywhere. Enough is enough.
Great Darius from Takhar: Ghazala Javed was the best artist. May she rest in peace!
Thanks to the staff and those responsible in making your great programs. You really provide comprehensive news and reports. Thanks!
First I should thank the great writer for the information about Ghazala Javed. She offered the best songs to her advocates in such a short time and her songs and movements were applausable. In conclusion, I would like to share a bitter memory about the day in which I heard that Ghazala Javed was murdered. Believe me, at first I really could not believe what I was hearing! However, I was convinced after I heard the news from several sources. That day I was in one of my friends' shop and we were listening to her majestic song “Baran de Baran de.” It was at that moment when one of the Afghan TV channels aired the news about her death. I miss her a lot and I am very sad. May she rest in peace and I curse her killers....
We are very sad about such brutality. The criminals should be brought to justice as soon as possible, so they can receive their just punishment for their criminal acts.
We love you, you are in our hearts from Kazakhstan.
In fact, she was 24 and not 29. She was so young when she died.
I did not see any news in Pakistani papers about here death, but just saw it on Times of India. Its was really sad for the Phustoon people, she was very pretty and melodiuos above all she was simple girl just 29 years old. May God rest her soul in peace.
good persnolty
i was deep showk the death of popular singer in youth of pakistan gazala javed i was condemened this brutchal act.
i,m so very sad for the ghazala javed isdeath she are lord gaving heave placements
i am very sad fron Ghazala javed murder in 18 june he is killed in dabgari road and her husband very crual man and likely all natiom people very sad.