Prominent Afghan TV star flees the country - 20 Mar 09

Dawood Siddiqi is a household name in Afghanistan and host of the country's most popular TV programme - a talent show called Afghan Star.

But Siddiqi will not be presenting the final award in this year's competition, because he has fled the country.

As Al Jazeera's James Bays reports from Kabul, Siddiqi joins a growing number of high-profile Afghans who have failed to return from a trip abroad.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• aljazeera
• al jazeera
• james bays
• afghan star
• dawood siddiqi

[jerkinp]

Afghanistan wasn't always bad place to live. Most of the fault fall on the Soviet intrusion in local politics and the invasion. The games the United States played to get back at the Soviets for Vietnam humiliation. The Arab tyrants releasing prisoners from their cells and sending them off to fight the Soviets who then turned around and started a civil war after the Soviet retreat. The Taliban for not handing over power to the people after defeating warlords and winning over the warlord's armies.

[tosh602]

i love how they disapeared they didn't dissaper they ran away. lol

[worldartsdocmiller]

Bikhi sahist saib, in the early 1970s Afghanistan was a beautiful peaceful oasis of culture, calmness and kindness. See my book "Sufi, Saint & Swinger" part A jazzscope webcite for a description of Herat and its arts. First the Russian dogs then now the Yankee pigs have destroyed much of the traditional treasures of Afghan classical music and dance and turned it into an ugly clown show like the stupid US Idol show. Cultural imperialism and cultural genocide is a deadly poison. Dr. Lloyd Miller

[StormOfHeart]

Maybe oneday Karzai Flees Afghanistan to live in other country LOL

[arybatool]

But still i must admit, it was thoughtful of you to even consider watching this video, it wtill take time but you will oneday understand that things sometimes aren't what they seem to be.

hats off to all the none afghans who have spared their time and best of luck :)

and hope all us afghans keep working hard towards a better future for everyone, we all live on the same planet after all.

[arybatool]

for starters if your were so great you wouldn't be mocking others, their culture and believes like this.

i am not going to say anything else, and yes everyone is entitled to their own opinion but am just letting you know that as an afghan i found your opion very offensive. A good person tries his or her best to not offend others.

[sulpae]

Being threatened because he did what? Bull-shit. Sorry for inappropriate language, but that was the excuse he found to secure a place in the west. If they could have it their way, probably more than 90% of them will leave for the west.  Receiving threats is only a pretext, not a really valid reason.

[drunkenbull2006]

Afghanistan is a mess.. They did the right thing.

[babakam]

Well James that is nothing out of ordinary in that part of the world, most would like to live in the west if they can whether they are Afghans, Iranians, Pakistanis or Indians. Most of our stars live in the west anyway, However that never meant they can stop singing for us or being the most liked and watched stars. They regularly travel back home. We view it as the ones who lived abroad can offer more to the country. So stop viewing it so negatively only because it is in Afghanistan!

[Maidanzazi]

those who run away and resigne by e mail like Arsal Jamal governer of khost , are the real crimainals and the Afghan gov should ask the interpol for help to get thier ass back home and punishe him for what ever he did

[ConcernedAfghan]

what is up with you pollocks and romanians mocking afghanistan...listen you queers...your nations exist to create whores for the rest of the world...everyone I know has had a girl from your eastern european block...lol...so shut up and keep sending us your women...

[kabulom]

this mother fucker western mock afghansitan, first this idea opf afghan star is a western idea is not ours, secondly afghansitan star will that guy who will defend his country, help poor, bring justice, keep save our country, this is the afghansitan STAR, not idot jobless people who are singing or telling jokes.. western culture making our culture crupt, we should not allow them and i wish all these show close as soon as possible. so our youth dont be going in wrong direction.