Man behind PPP's anthem passes away as 'Dila Teer Bija' lives on
The unacknowledged musician's legacy will prevail as long as the Pakistan Peoples Party's
KARACHI:
Zahoor Khan Zeibi was a man of a very few words but a thousand sentiments. The pauses in his conversation were cryptic; he wanted you to guess and to wonder as to why there is no obvious answer to what seems like an easy question. With the patience of an avid listener and the pride of an ageless rock star he told me how I am late to the party.
He was referring to my curiosity to know more about him; the wizard who composed Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) anthem that crossed generations and political preferences. Who should have been one of the most celebrated musicians of the country was sad his party didn’t do enough for him. “Had any of the PPP members supported me I would have not ended up living in a small house in Chakiwara Lyari,” Zaibi had told The Express Tribune in 2011. Zeibi passed away silently in the same house and his demise came into the limelight after the party co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid his family a visit on Thursday.
A true Jiyala at heart, Zeibi always considered music his first love and the Bhutto family his second. Contrary to public perception, 'Dila Teer Bija' was never commissioned to anyone, it was a passion project initiated by Zeibi in collaboration with the Lyari-based Noni productions.
“Together we compiled a set of five albums on our own for the PPP campaign and 'Dila Teer Bija' became an instant hit,” Zeibi said in an earlier interview. Zeibi had no money on him so he hired a back-up dancer Shabana Noshi to sing the song and release as part of a larger compilation.”
That however wasn’t the only impediment for Zeibi back in 1987. He had claimed that he was visually impaired when he had composed this song and later gathered money to have his eyes operated successfully. “My friends and fellow musicians were my canes; they held my hand and brought me to studio. I am proud of the fact that I managed to pull off one of the catchiest tunes of Pakistan with no sight at all.”
Every new PPP campaign would give fresh hopes of recognition to Zeibi but all went in vain. The millennial Bhuttos did give Zeibi some hope and he was overjoyed by that. In 2010 two representatives of Bilawal House asked Zeibi to sign a form which according to the composer officially made the song a gift from the musician to the PPP. On further enquiry Zeibi was told a documentary is being made on BB and hence, he signed compliantly.
One fine day Zeibi’s friend was browsing through the internet and saw a clip of Bakhtawar Bhutto singing “Dila Teer Bija”. When the musician found out and heard the clip, he said he was very happy. “I wrote it for BB and her daughter was singing my words, what else would a PPP-worker want from his work?”
Although Bhutto, the documentary, acknowledges Zahoor Khan Zeibi in final credits, Zeibi still had an appeal for the then President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani. ”Even the ones who chant slogans on rallies are rewarded but I never was, I never expected anything from the PPP and I don’t want any reward from the PPP either, all I want is to get back my plot back from the Qabza group which I bought out of my earnings when I was blind,” said Zeibi.
Bakhtawar singing his song was perhaps the peak of recognition Zeibi received from the family he dedicated his life to. Even in 2014, a twitter account under Zeibi's name and picture tweeted to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saying, “Respected Chairman I am the composer and producer of PPP song Dila Teer Bija, Jiyeh Bhutto Jiyeh Benazir.”
There was no response to that tweet whatsoever. The Express Tribune tried to reach out to the Bilawal House to ask if any form of assistance is being provided to the late musician’s family but there was no response. Rumour has it that Zeibi’s treatment was being covered by the Bilawal House but this information couldn’t be confirmed or denied.
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Zahoor Khan Zeibi was a man of a very few words but a thousand sentiments. The pauses in his conversation were cryptic; he wanted you to guess and to wonder as to why there is no obvious answer to what seems like an easy question. With the patience of an avid listener and the pride of an ageless rock star he told me how I am late to the party.
He was referring to my curiosity to know more about him; the wizard who composed Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) anthem that crossed generations and political preferences. Who should have been one of the most celebrated musicians of the country was sad his party didn’t do enough for him. “Had any of the PPP members supported me I would have not ended up living in a small house in Chakiwara Lyari,” Zaibi had told The Express Tribune in 2011. Zeibi passed away silently in the same house and his demise came into the limelight after the party co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari paid his family a visit on Thursday.
A true Jiyala at heart, Zeibi always considered music his first love and the Bhutto family his second. Contrary to public perception, 'Dila Teer Bija' was never commissioned to anyone, it was a passion project initiated by Zeibi in collaboration with the Lyari-based Noni productions.
“Together we compiled a set of five albums on our own for the PPP campaign and 'Dila Teer Bija' became an instant hit,” Zeibi said in an earlier interview. Zeibi had no money on him so he hired a back-up dancer Shabana Noshi to sing the song and release as part of a larger compilation.”
That however wasn’t the only impediment for Zeibi back in 1987. He had claimed that he was visually impaired when he had composed this song and later gathered money to have his eyes operated successfully. “My friends and fellow musicians were my canes; they held my hand and brought me to studio. I am proud of the fact that I managed to pull off one of the catchiest tunes of Pakistan with no sight at all.”
Every new PPP campaign would give fresh hopes of recognition to Zeibi but all went in vain. The millennial Bhuttos did give Zeibi some hope and he was overjoyed by that. In 2010 two representatives of Bilawal House asked Zeibi to sign a form which according to the composer officially made the song a gift from the musician to the PPP. On further enquiry Zeibi was told a documentary is being made on BB and hence, he signed compliantly.
One fine day Zeibi’s friend was browsing through the internet and saw a clip of Bakhtawar Bhutto singing “Dila Teer Bija”. When the musician found out and heard the clip, he said he was very happy. “I wrote it for BB and her daughter was singing my words, what else would a PPP-worker want from his work?”
Although Bhutto, the documentary, acknowledges Zahoor Khan Zeibi in final credits, Zeibi still had an appeal for the then President Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani. ”Even the ones who chant slogans on rallies are rewarded but I never was, I never expected anything from the PPP and I don’t want any reward from the PPP either, all I want is to get back my plot back from the Qabza group which I bought out of my earnings when I was blind,” said Zeibi.
Bakhtawar singing his song was perhaps the peak of recognition Zeibi received from the family he dedicated his life to. Even in 2014, a twitter account under Zeibi's name and picture tweeted to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari saying, “Respected Chairman I am the composer and producer of PPP song Dila Teer Bija, Jiyeh Bhutto Jiyeh Benazir.”
There was no response to that tweet whatsoever. The Express Tribune tried to reach out to the Bilawal House to ask if any form of assistance is being provided to the late musician’s family but there was no response. Rumour has it that Zeibi’s treatment was being covered by the Bilawal House but this information couldn’t be confirmed or denied.
Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.