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    Abrar-ul-Haq: In Pursuit of Life through Song & Philanthropy

    Abrar-ul-Haq

    Written by: Amna Javed
    Posted on: June 01, 2015 |

    Abrar-ul-Haq

    At the time of its release in 1995, Abrar’s debut album became the best-selling album of South Asia, as ‘Billo day ghar’ instantly hit a chord with the audience, making Abrar famous overnight. Born in Faisalabad, Abrar-ul-Haq is the youngest child among eight siblings. His early education at Junior Model School, Gujrat had a great impact on shaping his music career later on in life, and he credits his dynamic Principal there, Ms. Farida Shiekh for polishing his skills beyond measure. “I gave my first speech in this school at the age of five. It was a great confidence booster for me,” reminisced Abrar.

    From eighth grade onwards he attended a school entirely different from the one he had been at earlier. Recollecting his memories from the Jamia College, Gujrat, Abrar detailed how these years of his education left a life-long impact on his personality. “For me, my reality changed as I stepped into that college.” Hailing from downtrodden families of the area, these students posed a major contrast to the lifestyle that Abrar had been used to; students here, even the brightest ones from the class, had to drop out simply because their parents could not afford to pay for their education. The company he found at this school prepared Abrar for the life that awaited him after graduation. He learnt that not all people would be the same and that the underprivileged in our society face problems that more fortunate ones such as him could not imagine. This school took the initiative of devoting a separate class where students were encouraged to take part in social activities. Abrar, along with his other friends, used to fill up buckets with cold water and offered it to passengers arriving at the nearby bus stop, especially children, women and the old commuters.

    “It was an indescribable feeling,” he said while talking about this volunteer work. “The prayers that the old men and women used to bless us with, gave me a sense of accomplishment,” he added. Abrar termed this activity as a ‘brilliant training’ that he received at a very young age; by engraining in him the idea of helping others, this experience had a life lasting impact on him.

    He had also seen his parents indulging in philanthropy all their life. Abrar’s father, who was a civil servant, made it a habit to travel back to their hometown in Narowal and provide assistance, both moral and monetary, to the laborers cultivating their ancestral land. Besides that, his mother reiterated the importance of holding fast to his family, cultural and religious values. His parents’ focus on philanthropy combined with his training at school instilled a burning desire in him to help others in whatever capacity possible. When his mother passed away, it left a vacuum in his life and he felt he would “never feel happy again”. However, this loss proved to be the reason he would embark upon his life’s most importantwork, as he channeled his desire to bring some good and help others into establishing the SAHARA for Life Trust.

    Interviewing a GEO News TV anchor

    The Sughra Shafi Medical Complex, Narowal

    Arranging for funds, assembling a dedicated team and making the trust functional was an uphill task for Abrar as he faced numerous roadblocks along the way; however, his earlier training at school and his personal resolve to accomplish the impossible kept him going, culminating in the building of the Sughra Shafi Medical Complex in Narowal, named in memory of his mother. Along with providing free medical facilities to the poor from this area, SAHARA for Life Trust has also actively taken part in rehabilitating those displaced by the earthquake in 2005 and the flood affectees in 2013. “The best reward for me is when my efforts are appreciated and people bless me with their prayers,” he reiterated. 

    Delving into detail about his career as a musician, Abrar candidly recalled the making of his first song, which he wrote while preparing for his CSS exams. Billo de ghar’, his debut song, “came” to him as he was out on a run one morning, He found it amusing and sang a few lines to his friends and family; he received a great response and they encouraged him to work on it further. “The song didn’t even have the word ‘billo’ in it initially!” After rigorous editing, it was finally set for release. “I had no idea my fame was just a song away,” exclaimed the singer. No doubt the song was a huge success and quickly became a staple at weddings, Abrar admitted that nothing got him more excited than when he found someone listening or dancing to his song.

    Most of Abrar’s songs have run in the same vein of popular culture, with amusing Punjabi lyrics and an engaging beat, aimed at giving the listener some lighthearted fun. However, Abrar admits that of late his music has evolved and has more serious overtones, to reflect the realities in our country that people live with every day. His poetry now focuses on the plight of the masses and on the desperate need for change (Click to view video).

    Interviewing a GEO News TV anchor

    Abrar in his constituency in Narowal

    Through his commitment and steadfast belief, Abrar managed to achieve what he set out to; he brought joy and entertainment to his audiences with his music, and the Sughra Shafi Medical Complex brought the best medical care at the disposal of the underprivileged in his hometown of Narowal, which was also his constituency for the 2013 General Elections. Having accomplished so much at this age, Abrar still feels that he has a long way to go and he prays to God to give him the strength to continue with his mission.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021