JJ and the endless river

I made peace with Junaid’s absence from music when I finally realised how important it was for him to let it go

RAWALPINDI: My name is Jasim Haider, a musician and film-maker from Rawalpindi, born in the late 80s — a time when a bunch of ‘Pindi boys’ were about to shake the very foundation of Pakistani music. They called themselves Vital Signs and released a song titled Dil Dil Pakistan that swept the nation. It shook up the dormant patriotism within its people and became the anthem of the era.

My generation I grew up singing and dancing to this song at birthday parties and at Independence Day plays in school. But while for most Dil Dil Pakistan was merely a positive patriotic number with a catchy beat, I had a deeper attachment to it. There was something about it that spoke to me on a personal level, as though the world was dancing right before my eyes.



Main apni awaz aur apnay saray geet

Tumhain day jaunga

Meray sub geeeton ko younhee rehnay dena

Jaisay shaam hotay hee main laut kay aunga

Mujay kho kar bhi kabhi na khona,

Mat rona

Beeti huee baton ko, jaagi huee raton ko

Yad karna, aur jee lena


I got hold of the Vital Signs’ complete album and learnt every song, word for word. And yet, to this day, I have not been able to figure out exactly what they did that stirred me so. Was it the bass lines, the guitar, music composition or simply Junaid Jamshed’s melodious voice? Who knows? Whatever it was, inspired the 10-year-old me to pick up a guitar.



Back then, I didn’t have anyone around who could teach me how to play the instrument. I ended up strumming to Junaid’s songs instead. My song choices changed over time but he remained — and will remain — a permanent fixture on my playlist.

After about 10 years of singing, Junaid suddenly left Vital Signs and I realised then that the magic had been him, all along. The musician and fan in me was broken by his decision; it felt like my younger self had suddenly been forced to come of age. I could not forgive him for leaving and carried the resentment in my heart for ages.



Years passed and people moved on from the breakup of perhaps the most iconic band in Pakistani history but not me. Nonetheless, the experience allowed me to introspect and understand what it was about Junaid that made me love his songs so much. I realised that I wanted to fill the void left when he quit music and developed a singing style similar to his. And when that was not enough, I started writing my own songs, directing all my energies into them, just like Junaid did back in the day.

Some might find this crazy but I even re-lived every music video that Vital Signs and Junaid alone ever made. I have visited all the locations they were shot at, from Jasmine Park to Rah-e-Aman Road, Lalazar, where Rohail Hyatt lived. There were times when I took my guitar to play outdoors and the city reciprocated, the trees, hills and sun swaying in the winter evenings to the music.

Despite being such an avid fan, I had yet to meet any of the band members until a few years ago when a journalist friend of mine was asked to interview Rohail with regards to Coke Studio. I remember he laughed when my friend introduced me as a ‘Vital Signs worshipper.’ The meeting lasted three hours throughout which my eyes were fixated on the musician; so much so, that I probably made him uncomfortable. Another highlight of my life was the day I found bassist Shehzad Hassan on Facebook and kept asking questions like a child. Fortunately, Shahi was kind enough to answer each of them.

Then one day, my father ran into Junaid at a mall in Karachi and I got to speak with him over the phone. I remember my friend Ali and I had been walking through a market when my phone rang. “Should I tell him I love his music? Would he appreciate that?” I kept pestering Ali. Finally, the phone rang, sending my heartbeat into frenzy until I heard Junaid’s soothing voice at the other end. “Jasim, I just met your father. Thank you very much for your love and support, let’s stay in touch,” he said, before sharing his email address.



When I discussed the incident with my father later, he told me that Junaid had been smiling throughout our conversation because of my dial tone which was, of course, one of his songs. He had also said that he loved the name Jasim and had wanted to name his son that as well.



Bachpan kay din aur jawani

Jaien tou phir na aien

Beetay din beeti kahani... bhool ja

Eventually, I made peace with Junaid’s absence from music when it finally hit me how important it had been for him to let it go. He had lost the fire and bowed out to give younger musicians a chance to shine.He turned towards spirituality and helping others through charity. Once older, with my own sense of spirituality, I wrote a rendition of Junaid’s famous hamd, Tu Hai, told him about it and the inner journey that had led me here. He was off on a preaching tour to the US then and gave me plenty of duas for the future.

Ruknay na paye silsila jo chala hai

Dekho na bikhray kafla jo bana hai

And so, I secretly wowed to take the spirit of Vital Signs forward. Where Junaid and the others left, it became my personal duty to make up for it. Today, I have developed my own way of writing and playing music which germinates from their music.

Faslay jism tou dur le jatay hain

Par dilon kay shehar tou ujartay nahin

Ankhon say ankhon ka rishta tutay bhi tou

Sath dekhay huay khuab martay nahin

Sometimes in life, we come across people who enrich our souls with their goodness. For me, Junaid was one such individual. Today, my idol is no more and I, as well as millions of other fans, will never be able to listen to Dil Dil Pakistan without feeling broken again. However, we can is keep his memory and message alive and bless him for making every success and every heartache a little better.

Farewell, Junaid Jamshed. You will always be remembered as the voice of my generation. And as for the rest of us… Beeti hoyi baaton ko, jaagi huee raton ko, yaad karna aur jee layna.

The writer is the singer-songwriter of music band Jasim Haider and the Pindi Boys.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2016.

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