A 2007-2008 wave of CD and music shop bombings dissipated in recent years as terrorists began to target security forces and shrines. That respite allowed many CD shops in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (previously known as the North-West Frontier Province) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to reopen. According to Javed Aziz Khan, who wrote the article for Central Asia Online, Pashtu music has witnessed a boom in the recent years despite threats and hurdles, and the Police have worked hard to end the attacks.

“We had busted a ring involved in bombing CD shops in suburban and urban parts of Peshawar. Also, three of the key bombers involved in blowing up music shops in Peshawar were killed while handling a bomb inside a house in Phandu area couple of years back,” Sajjad Khan, a senior police officer, was quoted as saying.

Threats and attacks
But now, the threats and the attacks are returning. Music and video shops are again coming under attack by militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because, according to their belief, they are “spreading vulgarity and obscenity”. In Dara Adamkhel, near Peshawar, a few months ago the Taliban ordered all CD shops and video centres to shut down, saying “otherwise, they will be bombed.” Shortly after, several Dara music and movie markets were bombed, and shopkeepers had to start other trades.

“I don’t know what service these people are doing to their religion by snatching the income source from people as well as entertainment from the customers,” said Mujeebur Rahman, a student of the University of Peshawar.

Another student was quoted as saying: “The terrorists cannot stop youth from watching movies and playing songs. I don’t buy CDs but download from the internet whatever film or song I like. Can the terrorists ban the internet as well?”