In memoriam of Nazia Hassan on her 18th death anniversary

Pakistan is remembering today one if its iconic and most celebrated voices, Nazia Hassan who parted with the world 18 years ago on this day.

Popularly known as the ‘pop queen’, Nazia had breathed her last on August 13th in 2000 at the mere age of 35 in London subsequent to an extensive fight with lung cancer. However, the artist remains alive in the hearts of Pakistanis as her undying music and charismatic personality are still cherished by the world today.

The amiable singer was born on April 3 1965 and had shot to fame following a program on Pakistan Television (PTV) titled ‘Sung Sung’. Soon after her appearance on national television, the star had soared through the skies to become one of the country’s most acclaimed artists.

The star had gone on to become one of the first Pakistanis to bag a Filmfare Award for her iconic song ‘Aap Jesa Koi’ which was sung by her at the age of 13 for Indian film ‘Qurbaani’ and still remains one of the most cherished tracks in South Asia.

Nazia along with her brother Zohaib Hassan, also a prominent name in Pakistan’s music scene, sold over 60 million records globally and went on to release the highly popular track ‘Disco Deewane’ with him in 1981.

The vastly gifted singer was also known for her philanthropic work for children through United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991.

Nazia in her short life span managed to break glass ceilings and changed the Pakistani music industry with her irreplaceable voice that still echoes throughout the nation nearly two decades after her passing.