Top Pakistani band to rock Srinagar today

Srinagar, May 25 : Top Pakistani Band 'Junoon' is set to rock Srinagar today by its musical performance.

Junoon, arguably one of South Asia's hottest rock bands, will play on the banks of Dal Lake with towering snow-capped Himalayan peaks and ancient Sufi shrines on its backdrop.

Singer Salman Ahmed said performing in Srinagar has always been one of the goals of the band.

"This will be a historical show by the 'Junoon' group. And after this performance, people will say both Kashmir and 'Junoon' are actually one. And once the doors are open there will be more people to sing more songs," said Ahmed.

It will be a mega event with 5,000 to 10,000 people expected to watch the performance. Indian President Pratibha Patil, on a five-day tour to Kashmir since May 23, is expected to attend the musical concert.

Large number of workers is preparing the stage for the historical performance. People of Kashmir are really excited and believe that such shows will bear fruit in improving the strained relation between the two countries.

"Such programmes should happen because this helps in building people to people contact," said Rafiq Ahmad, a local.

Junoon, which means obsession in Urdu, belts out rock tunes inspired by Sufism, a mystic branch of Islam, and social issues.

ANI