Pakistani music band Strings has performed in front of Indian President Parnab Mukherjee in Rashtarpati Bhavan (President house). Strings are first Pakistani band who have performed in such a show. Their twenty minute performance was part of ‘South Asian Band Festival’. Indian music band ‘Advaita’ and Bangladeshi band ‘Love Runs Blind’ have also performed in the festival.
Strings presented some of their most famous numbers ‘Sar Kiye’, ‘Duur’ and ‘Zinda’. In the end Strings also sung ‘Laal Meri Pat’ with Bangladeshi and Indian bands.
Faisal Kapadia, lead vocalist of strings said, ‘It is an honor to perform in front of indian president. We presented Pakistani rock and pop music in front of him’
Bilal Maqsood, the other member of strings said ‘Once india, Pakistan and Bangladesh were united but are now separated by borders. It will be great If our music can unite the hearts again.”
Indian president Parnab Mukharjee expressed his best wishes for Strings band. Indian minister for new and renewable energy, Farooq Abdullah has also invited Strings to perform in Indian Occupied region of Jammu & Kashmir in January 2014, an offer accepted by Strings band.
The festival is still in progress, and fourteen bands from nine south Asian countries have participated in it.
