Abrar ul Haq lands in trouble with ‘Chamkeeli’

For singer-turned-philanthropist and political leader Abrar ul Haq, history seems to be repeating itself.

His latest single ‘Chamkeeli’, featuring top actress Mehwish Hayat and vlogger Shahveer Jafry, has landed him in a controversy.

A petition submitted in a civil court in Lahore states that the lyrics of the song are “disrespectful” towards both men and women. The petitioner has called for a ban on the song and also seeks an apology from Haq.

Pakistan’s uncrowned king of bhangra-pop isn’t new to this kind of controversy. In the early 2000s, his song ‘Nach Punjaban’ sparked a strong reaction from those who thought the casual use of the word ‘Punjaban’ to address a woman from the province of Punjab was demeaning.

Eventually, Haq had to re-record the song, replacing the word ‘Punjaban’ with ‘Majajan’. It remains to be seen how far he goes to make amends this time around.