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Guitarist Faraz Anwar says he was denied the opportunity to rent a house because he's a musician

Guitarist Faraz Anwar says he was denied the opportunity to rent a house because he's a musician

He shared his troubling experience on social media and asked fellow entertainers to stand up for their rights.
21 Sep, 2021

Guitar maestro Faraz Anwar recently took to social media to share how he was recently denied housing on rent because he is a musician. He shared his troubling experience with his followers on social media.

Anwar was the lead guitarist in Noori’s live album Live at the Rock Musicarium and the frontman of rock band Mizraab. He has also made several appearances in Coke Studio.

He posted on Facebook to narrate his experience. "Yesterday I went to see a house portion for rent in Gulshan-e-Iqbal," he said. "The landlord asked me what do I do so I told him that I am a musician and singer. Today the landlord called me and said we can't give our house [to you] on rent cause you're a musician and we are very religious people."

Anwar said he doesn't "know what to expect from now on". "People over here are extremely religious," he continued. "We say everyone has freedom in Islam but this is how we treat our artists! This is so shameful and disgusting. Wake up musicians, this is how Pakistan is going to treat you. Stand up for your rights or leave this profession cause this is not [considered] a profession here anyways . We musicians are Muslims and believers at the same time; when people need entertainment they call us, when artists need a place on rent they say we can't give our place to non-believers [like you].

"You can't even open a bank account in Pakistan if you say you are a musician. Thanks to Pakistan for everything," Anwar said.

The guitarist shared another post to further clarify his point of contention.

"Let me clarify that it's not about renting a place it's about the musician rights," he said. "Musicians or artists can't open a bank account unless they lie. You can't write your profession on national ID card. Musicians can't rent out place for their families."

Anwar ultimately expressed his disappointment and said that perhaps what society truly wants from artists is "to keep their mouth shut and ignore what is happening".

The musician received support from singer and filmmaker Yasir Jaswal in the form of an Instagram Story.

Comments

naz Sep 21, 2021 06:09pm
GOOD TO SEE SUCH ANSWER
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Saif Zulfiqar Sep 21, 2021 06:22pm
Landlord has every right to say NO to tenant.
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john Sep 21, 2021 06:28pm
he should move to India
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Desi Sep 21, 2021 06:42pm
The landlord has the right to rent the house to anyone he likes. Why is this guy complaining
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NYS Sep 21, 2021 06:53pm
Right away said pragmatic yet pessimistic sigh! Lesson liars are higher
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NYS Sep 21, 2021 06:59pm
TBH get opinion from leading singers Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh, Ali Zafar albeit they owned dwelling even then ID profession and Bank account
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Adeel Sep 21, 2021 07:00pm
Fruits of being a frontline state for 40+ years. Fruits of strategic depth. You should have left Pakistan ages ago like all normal people
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M. Emad Sep 21, 2021 07:05pm
Music banned in Afghanistan.
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JS Sep 21, 2021 09:12pm
I was also denied housing. The landlord's complaint was that I'm a woman.
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ENGR Hamid Shafiq Sep 21, 2021 09:23pm
Ridiculous
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Irfan Sep 21, 2021 09:23pm
@Saif Zulfiqar No he can't discriminate.
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M. Saeed Sep 21, 2021 10:26pm
There are people like engineers, who are refused houses on rent in towns because engineers are known to always have a buffalo.
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Rafi Sep 21, 2021 10:39pm
This is merely an unfortunate incident with an individual. Some people do have that landlord's attitude toward music. It is unnecessary to extrapolate it to the whole society. You may find another landlord in the same neighborhood who would be happy to have musician tenant. And, by the way, never heard of "You can't even open a bank account in Pakistan if you say you are a musician." What about thousands of musicians who do rent houses and who do have bank accounts?
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Yaseen Sep 21, 2021 10:42pm
@Adeel It is ridiculous to link it with foreign policy issues.
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FAZ Sep 21, 2021 11:08pm
Maybe the landlord got confused and didn't know he was a "musician"
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Ambreen Sep 22, 2021 12:21am
A landlord has the legal right to not rent.
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Robby Sep 22, 2021 03:34am
Malik Riaz please help him, arrange a music festival in BTK and allocate him a house this will make this guy find a house and you promote your Society
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UFO Sep 22, 2021 04:44am
I was denied because I have asthma
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A Sep 22, 2021 06:14am
In other words because he is noisy.
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Alla Bux Sep 22, 2021 06:34am
@Saif Zulfiqar Not really.
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safdar Sep 22, 2021 06:38am
This was not musicians right to get the house on rent, it was owners right to give house on rent to whomesoever he wishes.
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Abood Sep 22, 2021 08:45am
Whats wrong with it.if the landlord doesnt want too for what ever reasons why is he making an issue out of it.tolerate others.
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ubaid Sep 22, 2021 10:27am
I have never seen anyone's profession on an ID card
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YS Sep 22, 2021 11:03am
I guess this guy is making outlandish claims about musicians in Pakistan to spread his name on social media.
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Ali Vaqar Awan Sep 22, 2021 11:18am
Technically by law, land lord can rent premises to anyone they want or like. They way Land Lord refused is not right as if he thinks, he is only religious one around then he is wrong. He could have refused in positive way by saying I am not interested or I have better offer than you are giving. Also on CNIC, there is no thing as profession mentioned but its in data base only. Faraz should look else where to get nice house or portion on rent as its not the end of the world. Musician should be respected as any other normal profession, after all they are human beings.
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Baig Sep 22, 2021 12:29pm
@Irfan So what would you say if a non-muslim family is refused tenancy because they consume alcohal?Legally they arent doing anything wrong but should the landlord be forced to accept the tenants because they shouldn't "discriminate"? Try selling this to anyone. Choosing a tenant is a fundamental right of the landlord.We have come to a point where we cant even call a spade a spade because of the global pressure on political correctness.Hence a model / banker will gain sympathizers if they are refused tenancy even though a practicing Muslim will be well within the tenants of Islam in refusing them. This country was created as a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia. Right now Muslims cannot follow their beliefs without being judged as illiterate, unsophisticated and discriminatory.
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Abdul Majeed Sheikh Sep 22, 2021 12:44pm
It is the prerogative of the owner to give house on rent; not the qualification of the one who needs house on rent. Nothing to do with religion. If he is a qawwal would he be qualified for Rent?
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atif Sep 22, 2021 12:57pm
Mr Faraz in rome dont do what mexicans do, you to live by the norms of society, accept it, frankly speaking i dont know how good you are , i love listening to loud music by pink floyd , led zep etc but probably no offence i will deny give it on rent to you aswell. and its not like that happens in wet too. be a postive thinker. Good Luck
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Shezi Sep 23, 2021 11:25am
Dont worry there are also many Islamic Scholars which faced the same situation.
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