The #SooperJunoon Concert Is Helping Women Reclaim Public Spaces

Junoon is a name that every Pakistani is familiar with, and for good reason. The pioneers of Sufi rock music in Pakistan rose to fame in the early 1990s, and even though they split up over a decade ago, they have influenced and shaped the local music scene, as no other Pakistani band has to date.

So when we heard the band is coming together for a one-of-a-kind concert, we were naturally ecstatic by the proposition of witnessing one of the greatest Pakistani bands after a 13-year hiatus.

However, what also comes with the proposition of attending a concert is feelings of apprehension. For a lot of women, a large crowd can be intimidating as females we unknowingly anticipate some level of unwanted contact. However, women should be able to let their guard down once in a while unabashedly.

As females, we unknowingly anticipate some level of unwanted contact. But that shouldn’t have to be the case. We shouldn’t have to silently bear with graze and poking, and second, guess whether making a scene is worth it. We shouldn’t have to hold back from enjoying the music, or in many cases, simply leaving out homes, in fear of whether we are drawing too much attention to ourselves. We should be able to let our guard down once in a while unabashedly.

Luckily, major steps are being taken to address this situation, corporations like EBM are taking definitive action to address the issues that come with enjoying such events without fear for women. For their #SooperJunoon concert (an event the likes of which Pakistanis have yet to see), the company has ensured a reserved, enclosed area just for women known as the ‘Pink Circle.’

The Pink Circle ensures that women are free to enjoy the highly anticipated Junoon reunion without having to worry about unwanted attention. Also placed close to the stage, the enclosed area manages to make sure that women are able to appreciate the music.

Sooper has successfully managed to work towards building a community that cares about people, especially women and children and takes preventions to keep them safe in public spaces and other events like concerts and festivals. We hope to see more of this trend in the upcoming year but for now, let’s just enjoy the fact that the #SooperJunoon concert will not only bring back a band that is iconic in every sense of the word but it will also pave way for concerts in our country to become safe and secure entertainment for all.

In the words of Junoon: Pakistan hai humara. Every part of it, especially the public spaces. Watch the video below to get you in the mood and build up your junoon!