On Nishaan, Ahmer reflects on the disappearing traces of humanity in the valley and how despair, loneliness, anger and confusion have consumed every individual who is connected to the region since the conflict began. The song deals with the larger scale implications and impact on the mental health of a society that is subjected to inhumane trauma day after day for generations on end.
NISHAAN
CREDITS:
Conceptualized, written & by Ahmer Javed.
Mixed & mastered by Henry Watkins.
Production by Ahmer Javed, Junaid Ahmed.
LYRIC BREAKDOWN
VERSE I
Iss ghaflat ke ghar mein darwaze hai bandh,
In this house of in heedlessness, my escape is impossible,
Main dhoondu madad par koi na mere sang,
I’m begging for help but I know no one is going to be there for me,
Ye ankhe unn yaado mein hi mar miti,
My memories have lost eyesight,
Jo lauti nahi, kahan ko chali? Kahan chal bassi?
And I’ve not gotten it back ever since, where did it all go?
Hamari umeedein?
Our hope,
Kyu ye khushaali ko seenche?
Why are they trying to squeeze happiness?
Kaisa ghulami ka beej ye?
What kind of seed is this that gives birth to slavery?
Jo pale sehlabo ke neeche,
That keeps growing amidst floods,
Khaali kitabo ke beech mein,
We like to read books that are blank,
Hum jali ikhlaqo ko seekhe,
Love to learn nothing but hate and violence,
Farmayein na cheekhye
They teach us not to ask but to yell,
Ghabraye na peetyein,
Not to think but to thrash,
Ye kaisa qanoon? Jo haq ka hareef hai?
What kind of justice is this? the enemy of rights?
Main Abdul Qadeer, main na koi mareez,
I’m Adbul Qadeer, and I’m not ill,
Main chahta kaash hota na aisa naseeb,
I wish my life wasn’t like this,
Bure sapne hai mere zehan mein likhe,
I have these thoughts that I can’t get rid of,
Wo zalim jo bachpan mein ek din mile,
Those oppressors who stopped me one day,
Wo zakhm bhi tab se kabhi na bare,
Those scars never healed,
Wo shak hi nahi bas nafrat hi hai,
It’s not suspicion, it’s pure hate,
Wo nafrat nahi bas wo hasrat hi hai,
No it’s not hate, it’s desire,
Wo hasrat nahi bas woh taaqat hi hai,
No, not desire, it’s power,
Jo bani ibaadat ek aafat hi hai,
It’s the power that becomes devotion, makes you corrupt,
Jo baje mere kaano mein,
The sounds of trauma still keep ringing in my ears,
Bhaagu inn awaaz se,
I wanna run away from the sirens that are screaming,
Bassi mere saanso mein,
It’s present in every breath that I take,
Kahani har aansu mein,
There’s a story in every tear that I shed,
Darr se jo kaanpu mein, aata nahi kabu mein,
I shiver from fear, I can’t control myself at times,
Miti lakeere in haatho see,
I can’t see the lines on my palm anymore,
VERSE I
Baara saal ki umar se mera dum ghute,
Since I was 12 I’ve been trying to break from this prison,
Ye aag phehle aur na ruke,
But deep down the fire grows and I can’t put it out,
Maine pehchana kabhi khud ko na,
I couldn’t just live,
Thi zindagi na kabhi khushnuma,
Life never knew what peace was,
Ye khayalat bhaage mere peeche, kare paagal mujhe
My past keeps running after me and I can’t move on and forget,
Jeene ka maqsad kya?
What’s the purpose of life?
Jawab maangu kyu hai chup khuda?
Here I am, asking questions, why is God silent?
Chal raha barbaadiyo ka samaa,
All we have ever seen is chaos,
Jaise dafan hun main zameen ke neeche,
It feels I’m being buried everyday,
Meri cheekhe sun ke bhi na sunega
Even if I cry and scream they won’t listen,
HOOK
Zameen wadaan,
Land abandoned,
Zakham navaan,
Wounds don’t heal,
Hujoom davaan,
Blind people running,
Wajood maraan,
Roots dying,
Zahar ralaan,
Poison spreading,
Sakoon galaan,
Peace melting,
Yi kya gasaan?
Why does this happen all the time?
Fanaah nishaan!
Traces erased,