Faraz Khan is granted temporary bail as the case sparks debate about art, politics and expression
An additional sessions judge granted Faraz Khan anticipatory bail till January 13. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/Faraz Amjad Khan
LAHORE:
A case has been registered against qawwal Faraz Khan for singing a song linked to “Prisoners 804” during a government-sponsored music night at Lahore’s Shalimar Gardens, while the singer has secured interim bail, police and court officials said.
An additional judge granted Faraz Khan interim bail till January 13. The Qawwal, whose full name is Faraz Amjad, appeared in court and said he would never have sung the song if he knew a criminal case would be registered. “If I had known that singing this song would lead to a case, I would never have sung it,” he told the court.
According to the police report, the World City of Lahore Authority organized a music and culture night at Shalimar Gardens where Faraz Khan and other performers presented qawwali. During the programme, the singer performed a song associated with “Adiala Jail prisoner 804”, prompting the authorities to register an FIR against him.
The FIR was lodged at the Shalimar police station on the complaint of Zamir, who is in charge of Shalimar Gardens, and includes various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
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In the FIR registered at Baghbanpura police station, the complainant said the event, titled “Chandni Raatain”, was a purely cultural program aimed at promoting culture, music and harmony. It excluded clearly political content or slogans.
The complainant stated that on February 3, during the qawwali evening, Faraz Khan and his fellow artists “deliberately and without permission sang a politically provocative song with the lyrics ‘Adiala Jail Qaidy 804′”, after which the administration stopped the performance.
The FIR said the song led to excitement among the audience, raised fears of public order disturbance, undermined the non-political and cultural purpose of the event and caused “serious damage to the credibility, neutrality and dignity of a state institution”.
It further said that Faraz Khan’s action was “highly irresponsible, reprehensible and beyond legal limits”, describing it as an attempt to incite the public, disturb public order and make a state institution controversial, which it said was a punishable offence.
Faraz Khan has maintained that he sang the song on audience demand but was still booked.
The event at Shalimar Gardens was open to the public. The incident has raised questions about rules for cultural programs and has sparked a new debate about artistic expression.
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The police state that an investigation has been launched and that the case is being investigated from various angles in accordance with the law.
The case adds to a growing list of actions against artists and content creators over work deemed controversial.
In August 2024, YouTuber Aun Ali Khosa was reportedly picked up from his Lahore residence after releasing a parody video titled “Bill Bill Pakistan” criticizing the government. His whereabouts remained unknown for days despite an order by the Lahore High Court for his recovery.
Following Khosa’s disappearance, Amnesty International called on the government to “promptly” reveal his whereabouts and ensure his safe return.
Similarly, in May 2024, Kashmiri poet Ahmad Farhad disappeared from his residence after posting poetry critical of the establishment on social media. The case prompted Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of the Islamabad High Court to summon the defense secretary and order the police to seek statements from intelligence officials.
The court noted that alleged officials sent messages while claiming that the person was not in their custody and questioned whether the country would be run by spy agencies or under the law.
