Ahmad Zahir - the Elvis of Afghanistan .

In the final years of the nineteen seventies, one of the world’s greatest pop stars passed away. Today, he is remembered lovingly by legions of fans the world over. While living, he had sideburns like tangled briars, and a quiff like a tidal wave. It is said that his unique style forever revolutionised music. So strong was the influence he wielded, in fact, that even today people still flock to his grave as pilgrims. He was Ahmad Zahir – the Elvis Presley of Afghanistan.

Ahmad Zahir was the son of Doctor Abdul Zahir, a man who at one point was Prime Minister of Afghanistan. His family members were well-educated, well-connected and cosmopolitan. They were not, however, musical. When Ahmad Zahir decided, as a teenager, to become a musician, it was a difficult and controversial choice. Traditionally, Persian (Ahmad’s adopted tongue) doesn’t even contain a word for music or musician, let alone pop star. In traditional Afghan society, music came under a broad category of ‘passionate activities’, which could also include wrestling, horseracing and quail fighting.