Hundreds attended the Independence Day concert by Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed's in Kabul despite threats of a terrorist attack.
The BBC reported young people, who have been Ms Sayeed's chief audience since she became the country's first pop star with her song 'Afghan Pesarak' comprised most of the audience at the city's Intercontinental Hotel.
The Kabul native's style is regarded as taboo as she favours figure-hugging outfits, which combined with her long hair have led her to be described as the country's Kim Kardashian.
Earlier this year she was criticised at home after performing in a skin-coloured dress during a concert in Paris. She responded by posting a video on Facebook of the dress with the caption, 'Today we resolve one of the biggest current problems of Afghanistan so we can start focusing on other bigger problems!'
The heavily-guarded venue was used after authorities said they could not guarantee security at Ghazi's stadium.
Fans of Ariana Saeed at the Independence Day concert in defiance of security threats. Source: AAP
Kabul’s Ulema Council, the highest local religious body, called for the concert to be cancelled, according to the New York Times.
The council's chief Mullah Attaullah Faizani said that if the concert were held in the stadium, he knew of young people who were so upset they would attack it with flamethrowers.
Attendees praised Ms Sayeed's endurance in surmounting the obstacles of threats and conservative opposition.
It was particularly pleasing to have women outnumber men in the audience, fan Bahar Sohaili told the BBC.
"I asked some of the girls: 'Why you are here?' They told me they were here to defy those who were against the concert."
Ms Sayeed's music mixes folk music with traditional songs while singing in the two main Afghan language's of Dari and Pashto.
A number of attendees expressed their gratitude for the concert, a rarity in Kabul given the ongoing war and violence.
“After the recent incident, this is to break the silence, to make the people laugh who witnessed and suffered," Maryam Ataee told Tolo News, referring to the July 25 attack Taliban car-bombing in the city which killed 31 people.
Ms Saeed’s manager, Hasib Sayed, told the New York Times his client scared the mullahs.
“They are against Aryana Saeed because she works for women’s rights in Afghanistan, and they’re not happy about that,” he said.
“If women know their rights, no one can use them as slaves.”
