Musical evening: Folk, Sufi singers enthrall audience

Qurban Niazi sings Bulleh Shah, Sultan Baho, Waris Shah and Baba Fareed at RAC.

Folk Sufi singer Qurban Niazi mesmerised audience at the Rawalpindi Arts Council (RAC) on Monday.

The musical evening highlighted the message of peace, brotherhood and religious harmony of Sufi saints.

Former member Punjab Assembly Zaullah Shah, as well as Aksi Mufti, Naheed Manzoor, RAC Resident Director Waqar Ahmed and a large number of folk music lovers enjoyed the musical evening. The audience also paid tribute and prayed for the victims of Peshawar massacre.

Apart from Qurban Niazi, the other performers included Umair Niazi, Saeen Riaz, Ulfat Hussain, Rukhsana, Master Majeed and Wajid Kamran.

Qurban presented items including “Tere ishq nachaya” and “Piya ghar aya”. He sang the poetry of Bulleh Shah, Shah Hussain, Bedam Warsi, Khawaja Ghulam Fareed, Waris Shah, Sultan Baho and Baba Fareed.

Ulfat Hussain played harmonium, Iqbal was on dholi, Ghulam Ali on key board, Saeen Riaz on king, and Aqib on pitcher. The troupe wore traditional dresses.

Qurban has been singing on radio and television for more than 45 years and has performed in many countries. RAC Resident Director Waqar Ahmed said that Qurban was an asset for Rawalpindi. “Qurban Niazi is keeping the musical legacy of his late brother Tufail Niazi,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2014.