Still fighting: Wagma admitted to hospital with stomach cancer

Singer’s family struggling to meet medical expenses

PESHAWAR: Famous Pashto folk singer Wagma was admitted to the hospital on Saturday.

The singer has stomach cancer and other health complications. To add to her miseries, the singer and her family cannot afford proper medical treatment.

Relatives have asked the government to help as they lack the resources to battle the fatal disease. They argued Wagma’s services to Pashto music and culture were there  for all to see.

Liaqat Khan Yousafzai, her husband, is a local stage show producer and an art promoter. While at Lady Reading Hospital, he said the family was doing its best for her treatment. However, he sought assistance.

Read: Slow death: Piracy drawing the life out of Pashto music

“One of our daughters is disabled and now my wife has this fatal disease,” he said. The husband added their house was sold to pay hospital bills. “Now, all resources have been spent.”

Wagma, who started her musical career in the 90s, is one the most famous singers of the time. She was given the title of Gulnar Begum after the famous late Pashto singer. She has delivered some super-hit songs which are hummed by music lovers even today, while a lot of her work was also remixed by new singers.

According to her husband, she was born as Gul Zari in Swabi. Her showbiz activities led to her permanent shift to Peshawar.  Her melodious voice prompted producers to give her the name Wagma.

She has several hundred albums to her credit, but her real forte is live performances. An official of the Directorate of Culture said the authority would do its best to come to her aid as she has rendered tremendous services to the music industry.

The official said she was provided financial assistance on two previous occasions but her name is not among the artists who will be given cheques in the coming days. He added some 140 artists in need will be provided financial assistance for which she has not submitted an application.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2015.