Musical sanctuary under threat

Musicians (from left) Noor Muhammad Pachari on the tabla, Wafa on the harmonium and vocals and Shinwari on the rubab rehearsing at a cultural centre in Peshawar, Pakistan. — Asim Hafeez/The New York Times

THE Pakistani city of Peshawar once offered refuge to generations of Afghans, including musicians who preserved their country’s rich tradition of songs and ballads beyond the Taliban’s reach.

But the rhythms that resonate in wedding halls, concert stages and apartment blocks are falling silent, as the Pakistani government pursues a wave of expulsions that has already forced out one million Afghans since last year.