Muneeb Butt slams silence over Sabri Qawwals' killings in Balochistan
Muneeb Butt has expressed anguish over the killing of three Sabri Qawwals in Balochistan and slammed the silence of human rights activists on the deadly attack.
Taking to Instagram, the 33-year-old shared a video extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and questioned why those who champion human rights have remained quiet over the tragic loss of artists who were out to ‘spread love but were met with hate’.
According to reports, Raza Sabri and his maternal uncle, Ahmed Sabri, were shot dead in an attack on a bus in Zhob on Wednesday. The qawwals, accompanied by fellow musicians, were on their way from Karachi to Quetta to perform at an event when the incident occurred.
The targeted attack left three musicians dead, while Ahmed Sabri’s three brothers, Imran, Nasir, and Faisal, survived.
The attackers reportedly opened fire on the vehicle, killing the artists instantly.
Chishti, the father-in-law of Ahmed Sabri, said 12 people, including four Sabri brothers, left Karachi for the performance. “Around 4 pma, Faisal called to inform us about the attack,” he said, adding that Ahmed, a father of eight including a six-month-old baby, was among those killed.
Although they share the famous surname, the slain qawwals were not related to Amjad Sabri, the renowned Sufi singer who was gunned down in Karachi in 2016.
“We are qawwals who sing praises of the Prophet (PBUH), we are not political,” said Shakoor Ahmed Sabri, who identified himself as an elder of the Sabri qawwal community.
He called the killings the second major tragedy for qawwals after Amjad Sabri's assassination, adding that the community is “devastated.”