Former Junoon bassist Salman Ahmed on Saturday came under serious criticism for his “insensitive” tweet on the Mastung attack.
On Friday, at least 131 people, including Balochistan Awami Party’s (BAP) candidate Siraj Raisani, were martyred and 200 others were injured after a suicide bomber targeted a public gathering of the party.
Musician Salman Ahmed on Saturday took to Twitter and shared the lyrics of “Junoon Se” – a widely popular song – associating the lives lost in Mastung with sacrificed lives in the hopes of freedom.
Junoon sey aur ishq sey milti Hai Azadi, Qurbani ki bahon mein milti hai Azadi . https://t.co/dupQtzCKfc
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 13, 2018
Soon after Salman termed the deaths of Pakistanis a “qurbani” while seeking “azaadi”, he landed himself in hot water as hundreds of people from different walks of life stepped forward to offer condolences and censure the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) buff.
Salman bhai aap apni jaan qurban kar dein mulk k liye i promise i will vote pti.
— Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) July 13, 2018
Please don’t romanticize deaths by terrorist attacks. Condemn them. None of those who died went out there thinking their lives were At risk. Another black day
— Liz (@xephyrmania) July 13, 2018
Have you lost your mind?
— Tauseef (@Tauseef0675) July 13, 2018
You didn’t just say that.
— Maheen Sabeeh (@maheensbh) July 13, 2018
This was a terrorist attack by junooni terrorists. Don’t equate killing of innocents with qurbani.
Stupid Ppl like you have destroyed #ImranKhan thinking capacity to below average.— Javed Hassan (@javed_hassan1) July 13, 2018
Delete yourself. Half-wit.
— CeciN’estPasUneTweet (@monadarling) July 13, 2018
The artist then went on to justify his earlier statement as well by sharing a clip from the film “Jinnah”.
The psychology of martyrdom: making the ultimate sacrifice in the name of a cause. https://t.co/XC5T4VjGBw
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 13, 2018
In a later tweet, he also aspired to reach the level of martyrdom himself.
Shahadat sub sey bara darja Hai , merey dost . InshAllah, agar Allah ko merey shahadat Manzoor hui to zaroor?????? https://t.co/wz4wokuX0r
— salman ahmad (@sufisal) July 13, 2018