Governor gives Rs0.5m to singer Mashooq Sultan

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtun-khwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan handed over a cheque for Rs0.5 million to veteran Pashto singer Mashooq Sultan here on Wednesday.
The governor had invited her to the Governor’s House after learning about her ailment.
The governor lauded her services for the art and
music and said artistes like Mashooq Sultan were a real asset as they earned fame for the country in the comity of nations.
He said art and culture were the identity of a nation and played a vital role in reforming the society by promoting peace and tranquility.
Sardar Mehtab prayed for her health and directed the concerned quarters to provide her medical treatment. On the occasion, he handed her the cheque for Rs0.5 million.
Mashooq Sultan, who is the recipient of 600 awards including the coveted Pride of Performance, is nowadays leading a miserable life.
She is not only diabetic but got her leg fractured few years ago. She has difficulty in walking because of her failing health.
She thanked the governor for extending her financial assistance at a time when she had been ignored by those whom she enthralled for decades.
Hailing from Shah Dherai village in Swat district, Mashooq Sultan started singing at weddings when she was in her teens. Her family had shifted to Mardan when she was a child.
Mashooq Sultan has more than 1,500 albums to her credit. In 1962, well-known producer, Nawab Ali Khan Yousafzai, spotted her talent and subsequently introduced her at the Radio Pakistan Peshawar.
She sang at events in the US, the UK, France, Belgium, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan on several occasions.
The popular singer also performed in classic movies like Jawargar, Janaan and a few others. However, her claim to fame was singing and not acting.
Mashooq Sultan moved to Peshawar two and a half decades ago in pursuit of better prospects. Though she earned fame, her life didn’t improve as she is still living in a two-room rented house in Chughalpura locality in the provincial capital.
She is living with her son Zawar Hussain, who is serving as clerk in Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Peshawar.
Talking to reporters, Mashooq Sultan said that growing militancy had badly affected Pashto music in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She said that early 1970s was the golden era of Pashto movies and music.