Pakistani singer Khyal Muhammad honoured with presidential medal by Afghanistan

PESHAWAR: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has awarded his country’s prestigious presidential award, Mir Bacha Khan Milli medal, to Pakistani singer Khyal Muhammad.



The accolade was awarded to the veteran singer on the occasion of  Pak-Afghan Journalists’ Peace Forum.

PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Khyal Muhammad has been crowned as the 'King of Ghazal (Pashto)' in Pakistan and has been attributed with many titles for his service in the entertainment industry.

The singer is the first non-Afghan recipient of such an award. President Ghani said in a statement, "The King of Pashto ghazal has a unique position in classical, folk and modern genre of Pashto music. Khyal Muhammad has given a soul to poetry of contemporary poets and taken the Pashto music to its pinnacle."



"I have received great honours from both countries," Khyal Muhammad said.

K-P Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra also lauded Khyal's achievement. "We know our heroes very well. We are proud to present him as a symbol of our rich culture to the world," he said.

KHYAL BEING AWARDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF KPK. PHOTO: PUBLICITY

Khyal, who has also been awarded the Pride of Performance by Pakistan, was born in 1946 to a family of musicians. His unique style of singing displayed a command on complexities of music, and a breathtaking technique with clear diction. He has performed in a variety of genres and has recorded for films. However, his main focus has been on ghazal.

"It is the week of Khyal, a week of peace that is being celebrated in 19 countries around the world," said Farooq Firaq of Pak-Afghan Journalists’ Peace Forum.

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