Beyghairat Brigade hits hard

Where angels fear to tread

‘Strike when the iron is hot’ appears to be the policy of Beyghairat Brigade, particularly when it comes to the questions more insinuated and less discussed in mainstream media. The new song, “Dhinak dhinak dhin dha da” is melodious and pungent. Like all the previous songs of the band it doesn’t play with the scales and beats but captivates through its stunning lyrics. This time the band has satirically referred to the voraciousness of the army generals to launch coups against the democratic order.

Definitely Musharraf’s ongoing trial has inspired this brilliant song but it is not confined to the appetite of the generals for the thrones, it rather goes even further and holds that their war strategies are flawed. In the pursuit of the strategic depth and the proxy wars being fought amongst the sects they have sacrificed the lives of their own people. There is no denying the fact that we have opened up hundreds of madrassas under the patronage of foreign countries that give us money to train our people best suited to promote their ideologies. These madrassas work under the guidance and guardianship of secret agencies which in turn work for the establishment.

The video of the song this time is very suggestive and multilayered. In the video some guys are applying henna on the hands of a young guy clad in gorgeous kurta, shirt being prepared as a suicide bomber. The mannerism of the youth mocks at the bomber’s mindset. The video presents two different situations one of which is the ghazal night in which the leading singer is enamored with the modulations of the composition while the other is a Mehndi in which girls are clapping and the boys are dancing but paradoxically they are actually seeing off a suicide bomber who in an absurd way hesitates, musters up courage, resigns to defeat, expresses joy, obfuscation and shies away quite awkwardly. This is perhaps a suicide bomber who has at once found the inherent meaninglessness of human life. His clumsy movements, ranging from casual dance steps to the artificially created submission of self, remind us of the Theatre of the Absurd where artificial meanings are being worked out to fill the larger coffers of nothingness.

Coming back to lyrics, again the concept of strategic depth has been shown as a place where we are left with no choice except as to choose between a dark void and a deep well. In any case we are facing an existential threat. Imagine a post-2014 situation of Afghanistan where Afghan National Army is teetering; warring tribes are raising their militias, good Taliban are seeking our help, bad Taliban are distrusting us, India, China, Russia, Arab Emirates and the US are aligning in terms of long term economic gains and we are left with no choice except to pose a nuisance value by sending our children as cannon fodder to check the presence of India in Afghanistan. Beyghairat are absolutely right in warning us of possible existential threats.

They have made satire on the news reports that serve the purposes of those who matter s and the viewers must be a little confused as Mush’s situation is negating this premise but a little pondering over the premise maintains that our vociferous news media, particularly the electronic one, keeps quiet on the devastation inflicted by Cobra helicopters and the apathetic killing of innocent people trained in the name of anti Taliban Lashkars. Not to speak of the Ali Khels and Salarzais the blind missiles have hit the innocent children as well. Unknown people from unknown places play a significant role in making news reports when it comes to FATA and other troubled areas. The inquiry report of seven young boys ruthlessly murdered in the process has not been made public so far though the inquiry is complete and the commission has put forward the findings. Had it been an affair of a politician the media would have cried like a half slaughtered animal. Beyghairats boldly traverse the path where angels fear to tread.

The song mocks at the analysts who shift their services as frequently as Veena Malik changes her costumes. Gift a Prado and receive the analyst at the door like a suitor welcomes a beloved. These days media owners are blackmailed by the anchors by threatening to shift to the next channel, and owners are helpless because they have to keep the brands in hand. The faces of these anchors are brands, even they are unwashed.