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With new show, Shafqat Amanat and Ahsan Khan hope to bridge Pak-India divide

In Asia's Singing Superstar, contestants from Pakistan, India and UAE will compete to prove their musical mettle

21 Oct, 2015

A new music competition show will soon hit the airwaves, and it will do more than just seek the region's best singing talent.

Asia's Singing Superstar — a Zee TV production being shot in Delhi — will see two Pakistanis in the limelight: Shafqat Amanat Ali and Ahsan Khan will be one of the show's judges and hosts respectively.

Asia's Singing Superstar will also be broadcast by Geo TV

Ahsan Khan hopes that the show will play a part in fostering friendly relations between Pakistan and India.

"Given the current situation when radical elements are trying their best to ruin political ties between the two countries, this particular show can play a role to [relax] the tense moods on both sides of the border," Ahsan said to Images.

Contestants during the auditions of *Asia's Singing Superstar*

In the show, contestants from Pakistan, India and the UAE will be divided into two teams. While one team will be mentored by Shafqat, the other will receive the guidance of renowned singer/composer Shankar Mahadevan, the show's second judge.

Ahsan will be hosting the show with Indian playback singer Shweta Pandit.

Comments

KH Oct 21, 2015 04:28pm

No need of this in today's context. Let the two countries live their separate lives until each of them genuinely need the other. Today these are all facades....

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AXH Oct 21, 2015 05:09pm

You are fooling yourself if you believe that anything will have a positive impact on the Indians. The viewers will watch the show, as it is produced by an Indian channel and then they will get on the social media and start bashing Pakistan. Absolutely, nothing will change.

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Taimoor Khan Oct 21, 2015 05:13pm

Can state of Pakistan stop this non sense once and for all. These artificial so called cultural exchanges have outlived their shelf life. Everyone needs to take the stock of ground realities.

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Mujtaba Oct 21, 2015 05:16pm

do these people have any self respect or do they care about our national pride. we dont need any bridges with India.

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dawn Oct 21, 2015 06:21pm

Pakistan should stop 'bridging' this divide. As long as the likes of Shiv Sena are around it will be a wasted effort.

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Sandeep Singh Oct 21, 2015 06:25pm

Ofcourse. So that they can continue to earn peacefully in India. To earn in India is every Pakistani's right.

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Pakistani Oct 21, 2015 06:41pm

Bad timing....be ready for criticism

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omar Oct 21, 2015 06:56pm

Why all these bridges have to be built from Pakistan side? There wont be no peace between the two countries until India resolves Kashmir issue as per their promise that they made 66 years ago in United nations!

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salim Oct 21, 2015 07:01pm

They don't hope to bridge India Pakistan divide. They just hope to earn some money and finally get kicked out!

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Gul Hasan Oct 21, 2015 07:47pm

Both Pakistanis are in the show for fame and money, not looking around to understand reality. India was never secular, in the past Congress was equally involved in killing Muslims and other minorities. Wake up Pakistanis.

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Khurram Jadoon Oct 21, 2015 10:47pm

Just STOP this non-sense - stop all Indian movies/channel etc ..

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saqib UK Oct 21, 2015 11:50pm

Good idea ... cultural exchanges are better than any artillery shell exchange that's for sure. I loved Surukshetra when that aired couple of years back. Why they never did a follow up beats me.

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Saeed Akhtar Oct 22, 2015 03:39pm

It might be good effort but the Indian dramas which are played on different channels. I am just astonished to watch those which are without story-line and total waste of time. I always prefer to watch Pakistani drama. Indian Television industry should learn a lesson from Pakistan.

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Komal S Oct 23, 2015 03:03am

@omar Read the news carefully, an Indian TV cHannel has roped in Pakistanis to host the show. So the credit should go to the Indian channel. Self pity is not a good thing.

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fida USA Oct 23, 2015 04:53am

If sophisticated, westernized and secular Mr. Jinnah could not bridge the Hindu Muslim divide, I do not think that these two gentleman named Shafqat Amanat and Ahsan Khan can bridge Pak-India divide . Besides they should be campaigning for the freedom of there brothers and sister in occupied Kashmir, who are subjected to the worst kind of atrocities through occupation of there land by 700,000 Indian forces.

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Bitter truth Oct 23, 2015 06:30am

As much as I respect artists from both countries trying to fix indo Pak relations, 60 years of such ideas have not worked. It's simple. Pakistan needs to act against anti Indian elements on its soil and India needs to soften its stance towards Kashmir and start dialogues. Singing and dancing won't work, diplomacy will.

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