Salman Ahmed speaks up about his upcoming documentary film 'Spiritual Democracy'

Junoon’s Salman Ahmad, the founder of South Asia’s Biggest Sufi Rock band, has explained the story behind the production of his 140-minute documentary film ‘Spiritual Democracy’.

Salman Ahmed told ARY News: “In April 2020, I was at the epicenter of Covid-19, battling the raging virus at home in New York. It was a time of confusion and despair. Hundreds of thousands of people like me were infected and without a vaccine. The worst pandemic since 1918 was spreading like wild fire.” He added: “Thousands of souls, including some of whom I knew, were getting ill and sadly, losing their lives. Doctors and health workers were heroically saving lives as soldiers do on the frontlines. I was among the lucky ones who survived mainly due to the great nursing care of my wife Samina and strict following of the SOPs.”

Salman continued: “Globally, the pandemic had decimated lives and livelihoods. It is during that time I was asked whether I would consider becoming an Ambassador for Covid-19, travel to Pakistan to report on how South Asia was handling this killer virus. I arrived in Islamabad from the US on the last PIA flight during the height of the pandemic in mid June. I decided to request Prime Minister Imran Khan for an interview to learn how Pakistan was able to shield itself better than most countries including its neighbour India. During the five-month period I was in Pakistan. The new government was facing multiple crises: pandemic, economic meltdown, corruption, poverty, opposition protests, terrorism, military conflict and food shortage.

I decided to widen the aperture of my November 12 interview and ask Imran Khan key questions which could reveal a personal portrait of a modern day Pakistani leader.”

He concluded: “My goal was to understand the mental, physical and spiritual process of a global leader in the eye of the storm.”