Lahore's social scene marked by tributes and tragedy

Alhamra honours Qawwali legend, stage actress survives attempt on life

LAHORE:

Lahore once again became a hub of cultural events, allowing artists to showcase their talents while providing citizens with a wealth of entertainment.

The highlight of the week was a grand tribute to the legendary Qawwali maestro, Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, held at Alhamra.

The event drew prominent personalities from the showbiz industry, with renowned singers performing some of Ustad Nusrat's most famous songs in homage to the iconic artist.

A documentary chronicling his illustrious career was also screened, adding a poignant touch to the evening.

The event featured video messages from Indian actor Raza Murad, singer Hans Raj Hans, Yusuf Salahuddin, and musician M Arshad, all of whom shared their admiration for Ustad Nusrat's unparalleled contribution to music. The ceremony was hosted by Riyaz Khan, with notable attendees including film director Syed Noor, Safdar Malik, Shahzad Rafiq, Parvaiz Kaleem, Rashid Mehmood, Mohsin Geelani, and Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali Mana, Chairman of the Pakistan Film Producers Association.

Performers at the tribute included Presidential Award-winning singer Sher Miandad Khan, Suman Sheikh, Qamar Manzoor, Javed Manzoor Qawal, Shabana Abbas, Maria Mir, Hasan Abbas, Didar Multani, Aman Ali, Saba Riaz Butt, Khalid Khan, Karim Khan, Rumil Waqas, Osman Ismail, and others. Singer Megha's team delivered an especially outstanding performance.

During the ceremony, several artists were honoured with the Fateh Ali Khan Award, recognizing their contributions to music.

In another notable event, Pakistan-born British opera singer Saira Peter was awarded the Best Singer Award by Ustad Ghulam Ali.

The award ceremony, held in Lahore, was also attended by musician Altaf Hussain Tafo, former federal minister Jamal Shah, Tarnam Naz, Bushra Sadiq, and Ustad Fateh Ali Khan.

Saira Peter presented floral tributes to Ghulam Ali and other musicians in attendance, and Ghulam Ali, in turn, awarded her the Best Female Singer Award. Former Federal Minister Jamal Shah also performed a song with Saira Peter, which was met with warm applause from the audience.

The Lahore Arts Council has also launched a new series of literary sessions that are quickly gaining popularity.

The latest session of the Alhamra Literary Series featured the acclaimed artist Firdous Jamal, who shared insights from his decades-long artistic journey. Sara Rasheed, head of Alhamra, emphasized that these sessions are designed to introduce the younger generation to their cultural legends and to promote the arts.

Firdous Jamal Malik, one of Pakistan's most distinguished artists, spoke of his deep connection with Alhamra, which dates back to his early career. He reminisced about his beginnings with the play "Ulti Siddhi" and his long-standing relationship with the Lahore drama scene, calling Alhamra the "heartbeat" of Pakistani drama. Alhamra also provided special entertainment for children with a captivating puppet show that filled Hall Number Three with laughter.

Alhamra Chairman Razi Ahmed noted that the council was prioritising the cultural education of children, with regular Sunday performances such as puppet shows and plays like "Jin and Jadogar" and "Aladdin Ka Chirag."

The week was also marked by a tragic incident. Actress Feroza Ali was targeted in a shooting while returning home after a theatre performance in Lahore.

The attackers, riding motorcycles, opened fire on her vehicle in the Sabzazar area. While the actress escaped unharmed, her choreographer, Taseef Shah, was injured by a bullet in the arm.

This incident follows similar attacks on stage performers in Multan and Gujranwala, prompting calls from the artistic community for better security measures to protect performers.

Lahore's cultural life continues to thrive, but incidents like these serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those in the arts.