Zoheb Hassan wants govt help for music industry

LONDON: Zoheb Hassan, one of the biggest names of Urdu pop music, has said that he has never cared about commercial success in his life and he does music because it’s his life’s passion since early 80’s when he started doing music.

Zoheb and Nazia Hassan rose to heights of unparalleled fame in early 80’s when the duo released their first album and soon afterwards Disco Deewane became anthem for millions in Pakistan and India – making the siblings South-Asian sub-continent's first pop icons.

Now settled in London as a successful businessman, Zoheb Hassan is set to release his solo album “Signature”. He promises that this album has many surprises for his fans and hopes that his songs will set a new benchmark for Pakistan’s music industry. Zoheb lives in London with his Cambridge educated wife Gina, two daughters Allyana and Mia and 8 years old son, Azmere.

Zoheb Hassan shared that it took him over ten years to complete this music album as he was bogged down with many other responsibilities aside from music.

He relocated to Pakistan in1993 with his family and started working for the Government of Sindh “to promote positive image of Sindh province”.

Zoheb Hassan worked as Honorary Advisor to Governor Sindh for eight years in which period he successfully initiated landmark events such as Sindh Festival, Sindh Sea Festival, Media & Entertainment Expo, Pakistan UK Connect to name a few. For his outstanding contribution he was awarded the United Nations Associations Award and later an award from Oxford University.

Zoheb and Nazia were born in London but spent their childhood in Karachi until they came to England to study first in Manchester and then later moved to London in the mid 70s with their parents.

It was just at the tender age of 13 and 14 years when the duo sang their first song for the Indian film "Qurbani" and burst onto the international music scene in the manner never seen before. Their hits became anthems for millions in India, Pakistan and abroad. Nazia and Zoheb are infact credited for introducing pop music to the sub-continent. Some of their biggest hits were Disco Dewane, Boom Boom, Chehra, Teray Quadmo ko and Dosti.

It was in 1999 when Nazia Hassan was diagnosed with cancer. At the same time she underwent a heart-breaking split with her husband but Zoheb and rest of the family stood by Nazia throughout. Nazia Hassan sadly lost her battle to cancer in 2000 leaving behind a son, Arez, who now studies in a London college and resides with his Zoheb.

Zoheb Hassan didn’t work on music for many years after Nazia Hassan died but picked up his guitar again in 2016 and then went on to do a song for Coke Studio which has been watched by millions online and reminded Pakistanis after a long time what they had been missing: the charm that the duo cast on the nation with their super hits.

Zoheb Hassan returned to London from Karachi in 2008 and ever since he has been concentrating on his property portfolio. Today, Zoheb Hasan is a successful business entrepreneur and owns properties at prized locations in London.

He laughs and accepts that people can’t just accept that he is actually in property business on full time basis. “Generally people think that I must be singing all the time, in bathroom, outside, in my car and wherever I go. That’s not the case. I am actually a certified businessman besides being a singer, composer, producer and musician.

"Focusing on my business has helped me immensely as today I am more experienced and in a better position to help give back to the Pakistan music industry. I feel that any artist who has had success has an obligation to help our ailing music industry not just think about their own personal gain. If there is no industry tomorrow then we won't be there either. We have to collectively lobby with the government to give music the status of an industry and avail all benefits in the way that many industries get. We need tax breaks, lower import duty of equipments, more intellectual property protection and so on.”

Zoheb Hassan says he is excited about the launch of his album. “Well there are quite a few interesting things planned but I can’t give them away at the moment."

Nazia and Zoheb have not only provided Pakistanis joy for the past 3 decades but to tens of millions around the world. They are truly the pride of our nation - something that we shall always cherish and treasure.