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    The Music Will Live On: Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa

    Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa, Islamabad

    Written by: Sana Shahid
    Posted on: July 01, 2016 |

    Stage Backdrop at the Lok Virsa Media Centre

    Musicians never truly die; a part of them lives on through their music. Lok Virsa, one of the premier creative spaces in the capital city, took the initiative to pay tribute to the late Amjad Sabri Qawwal on Friday, 30th June, 2016, at the Lok Virsa Media Centre.

    Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa, Islamabad

    (l-r) Dr. Fouzia Saeed, Farooq Qaiser and Ammar Masood

    The event took off with a speech from Farooq Qaiser, one of the board members at Lok Virsa, who gave a warm welcome to the guests and highlighted the importance of Qawwali as “one of our religious and cultural Virsas”. The organizers invited Laal Band from Lahore and Bakshi Brothers from Islamabad to perform and pay their respects to Ustad Sabri’s music.

    Amjad Sabri’s musical genius was showcased through a playback of his various performances, while members of the audience sat captivated by his voice. Various people, including the hosts and valued guests, came up on stage and spoke of their experiences with Ustad Sabri.

    Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa, Islamabad

    Taimur Rahman of 'Laal Band'

    Laal Band kicked off the musical performances with a modern rendition of Bhar Do Jholi, which was received with multiple rounds of applause. They performed many of Ustad Sabri’s songs in their own unique way, creating a fusion of pop and classical as a way to immortalize his music among today’s youth. The performance of Menay Uss Se Yeh Kaha was especially well-received. People could be seen clapping in sync with the music and singing the chorus lines. The remix of Dum Mast Qalandar was one of the highlights of the event, leaving the audience enthralled. When the band decided to sing their song Dehshat Gardi Murdabad, one could see the sentiments of the people reflected in their reactions. The hall echoed with the chorus Dehshat Gardi Murdabad, followed by a loud chant of Pakistan Zindabad from all over the auditorium. Laal Band left the stage to a standing ovation and thunderous applause.

    Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa, Islamabad

    Arieb Azhar

    Next, musical sensation Arieb Azhar was invited on stage to say a few words. He stated that we have been blessed with a treasure in the form of our qalaam, which is in our regional languages such as Siraiki, Punjabi, and Pushto. He explained how this qalaam has been kept alive through our qawwals, even though it is not taught to us in school. He ended his speech with an important message: “The world is safe as long as we have people who cherish their roots and convey the messages through their poetry, raqs, and music.”

    Reference for Amjad Sabri at Lok Virsa, Islamabad

    Bakhshi Brothers performing 'Tajdar-e-Haram'

    Recent participants of Coke Studio, Islamabad’s own Bakhshi Brothers took the stage after these heartfelt words. They strictly followed their roots and paid tribute to the late qawwal by performing one of his most famous musical pieces, Tajdar-e-Haram, which captivated the audience.

    Witnessing young musicians carry on the legacy of the great Ustad Sabri warmed the hearts of the audience. Most people sat with their eyes closed, letting the music take over. Dr. Fouzia Saeed, the Director of Lok Virsa, must be commended for organizing an event that served as the perfect way to honour the passing of a national legend, and one of the most gifted qawwals to have come out of Pakistan.


    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