Writer Yasir Pirzada says we trash Naseebo Lal but praise Western pop!

It’s full of feels and tradition. But we’re kind of bad at respecting our legends. Take Naseebo Lal – her voice had that folk vibe way before Western pop stars did the same thing to screaming crowds. This whole thing isn’t just about music; it’s about class, language, and how messed up our culture can be.

Writer Yasir Pirzada made a point about this. He was comparing how people react to Naseebo Lal’s folk lyrics versus Western pop songs with similar stuff. It makes you think – was it ever about the lyrics, or just who was singing them?

Class: The Reason We Accept Some Stuff and Not Others

She’s not hanging out with the fancy folks. English isn’t her first language either. She doesn’t fit in with the cafe crowd. Like Pirzada said, because she’s not high class, her art gets judged super harshly.

In Pakistan, if you’re poor and make art, people might call it trashy. But if someone from the West or a rich person does the exact same thing, suddenly it’s artistic. Our culture is controlled by class.

Folk Music: Suddenly It’s Obscene?

Here’s the crazy thing: Naseebo Lal sang about the same stuff in 2007 that today’s pop hits do. Love, wanting someone, all that stuff.

But when Western pop songs play in nice cafes, they’re romantic. If Naseebo Lal sang the same stuff, people would call it inappropriate. It’s not about morals; we still treat Western stuff as better than our own.

Ignoring a Legend

What makes this worse is what Naseebo Lal has given to Pakistani music. She’s not just some newbie trying to get attention. She’s a big deal – she kept folk music alive when no one else cared.

She’s an example of how we treat artists. We say they’re important, but we don’t help them out. We call them legends but let them struggle without respect.

Language, Power, and Who Decides What’s Good

Language matters a lot here. If you speak English well, people accept you more. But if you sing in Punjabi, people might think you’re uncultured. English gets a pass, though.

When language stops us from respecting others, our culture starts to fall apart.

Changing How We See Our Artists

Yasir Pirzada’s point isn’t about copying songs. It is about us being unfair. Who do we let talk about love and feelings? And who do we tell to shut up?

If Pakistan wants to keep its culture, we need to respect our artists. We have to stop judging people based on class and realize that art is art, no matter where the artist comes from.

The mess with Naseebo Lal shows that we still don’t know how to value our own stuff. Until we respect voices like hers, we could lose our culture.

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