Independence Day Celebrations: National music fiesta concludes at PNCA

Promotion of cultural activities termed necessary for peaceful coexistence in society

As part of Pakistan National Council of the Arts’s (PNCA) three-day National Music Festival, some of the Pakistan’s best ghazal singers on Monday explored the meanings of Urdu verses in the traditional rhythms.

Ghulam Abbas, the renowned ghazal and playback singer, was the lead singer of the show. He has sung more than 5,000 numbers in his life. The laurels he has received include President’s Pride of Performance award and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.

Speaking on the occasion, Ghulam Abbas said the new music trends have caused visible damage to the traditional and classical music. Consistent efforts shall be made to revive the rich old realm of music, he added.



The maestro Abbas presented three ghazals on the occasion. The first was ‘wo aa to jae magar intezaar he kam hae’, a composition by Nisar Bazmi in raag eiman. The other two were ‘aisay wo sharmaaye’ and ‘mein nay rokaa bhi nhien aur wo thehra bhi nhn’. The jam-packed house appreciated his performance by clapping to the tunes.

Javed Niazi and Babar Niazi, the two sons of the folk legend late Tufail Niazi, Sohail Rndhawa from the Roshan Ara family, Nida Faiz and Saira Tahir Noor from Lahore, Sadia Batool from Rawalpindi, Usman Ali Raees, Farrukh Mehdi, the disciple of renowned singer Mehdi Hassan, and Naseem Ali Siddiqi were among the singers who participated in the event.

Many termed the event organised by the PNCA as a significant contribution toward the promotion of traditional and classical music.

The PNCA Director General Syed Jamal Shah said: “Culture is the fulcrum that can balance and ensure peaceful coexistence of the society. Federal government is facilitating any initiative that brings the people of different cultures together, reducing segregation and fragmentation in the society.”

Nadia Raza, one of the attendees, said that creating a rainbow of traditional music was the best way to celebrate the national day. The cultural diversity, when showcased together, engenders harmony among different ethnicities, she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2017.