Muslim Girl Band Praagaash Quits After Fatwa Issued in Kashmir

The all-girl rock band, Praagaash caused quite a buzz in late 2012 when they were the only female group to compete in a Battle of the Bands in Srinagar, Kashmir.

The band’s name, Praagaash, means “From Darkness to Light,” and the teenage rockers credit The Beatles and Billie Joe Armstrong as some of their musical influences.

But now after a slew of threatening messages on Facebook and a fatwa issued over the weekend by a top Kashmir cleric, the girls have called it quits.

Anchor, Marco Werman, interviews Nazir Masoodi, bureau chief of NDTV, an Indian TV network, who has been speaking with the teenage band members now in hiding.

Here’s a video of one of the their performances – there have only been two:

Will you support The World today?

The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. If you’ve been thinking about making a donation, this is the best time to do it. Your support will get our fundraiser off to a solid start and help keep our newsroom on strong footing. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!