Salman Ahmad - Pakistan
Change Through the Arts
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Well, the first time I was eighteen years old, I had just gone back to Pakistan. I was used to playing in a band here and it was normal. So I was playing for my medical, my, my students, and I was playing this tune called "Eruption" by Van Halen and I thought I would like to make them think that I was a great rock star, you know? And I closed my eyes and I was playing "Eruption" and all of a sudden I heard this screaming and initially I thought everybody is loving this. But what had happened was that militants had broken into that place and they took my guitar and they smashed it on the ground. So that was my introduction to going back to Pakistan. And at that point, you know, your guitar, your instrument as a musician is the most dearest thing to you and I saw it smashed on the ground. You know I, for a moment, you know, there was just anger, you know. And then I decided you know I can be angry, but what I need to really do is to do something about it. And I decided if they want me to stop playing music, I'm gonna play more music.
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