The song Har Ghari Tayyar was a household name in Pakistan during the 1980s and 90s. It could be heard blaring on radio and TV sets nationwide, while listeners swayed to the patriotic anthem and the melodic voice of Khalid Waheed. Children watched the heroic feats of our armed forces displayed on TV screens with wide eyes, taking in every action, latching on to every lyric of the song.
Listening to the new rendition of the song brings back memories of childhood for many of us, and remind us of the hard times our resilient nation has been through, the countless sacrifices our people and our armed forces have rendered, never giving up, always working for Pakistan’s progress — all this perfectly summed up in the words of lyricist Ali Hayat Rizvi: Na sarr jhukay, na hum rukkay; na hum girray na hum murray.
While Waheed’s endearing voice instilled a sense of pride and trust into all of us for our forces and institutions to help us navigate all hurdles that would come in our way, the new take on this anthem projects the strength of our armed forces, establishing them as the standard of bravery and courage. The song emphasises on the ever-readiness of our forces to strive for the betterment of our country and to help our nation overcome any and all obstacles in our path upwards and forwards; in all circumstances, challenging or otherwise.
Led by some of Pakistan’s contemporary music greats, this impressive blend of historic composition with an enthusiastic modern day musical element, complemented further by the military instruments of the Army School of Music, is an absolute treat to the listeners that adds on to the grandeur of the anthem. Music director Ali Hamza has managed to create an anthem that will not only resonate with the adult population of Pakistan, but will undoubtedly raise the spirit of the youth and children. The iconic voices of Ali Noor, Ali Azmat, and Asim Azhar add on top of this melody to complete a thought-provoking and hair-raising anthem. The song takes the listener along on a musical journey, moving from our solemn and difficult history, to the intense period of Pakistan’s fight against terrorism, culminating into the promise, of a bright and glorious tomorrow.
Har Ghari Tayyar pays a moving tribute to the services rendered by Pakistan’s Armed Forces on this Defence & Martyrs’ Day — 2020. Pakistan Zindabad!
Ahmed Ali
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, September 15th, 2020.
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