A year on, legendary Amjad Sabri still rules our hearts

Known for memorable qawwalis ‘Tajdar-e-Haram’ and ‘Bhar do Jholi’, Sabri was shot dead by two assailants in Liaquatabad on 16th Ramazan last year

A year has passed since famed qawwal Amjad Farid Sabri was gunned down in broad daylight on the 16th of Ramazan, with his family commemorating the departed soul by holding his first death anniversary on the Islamic date of his death.

Sabri, known for memorable qawwalis Tajdar-e-Haram and Bhar do Jholi, was shot dead by two assailants in Karachi’s Liaquatabad area.

The late musician’s family, including his brother Sarwat Farid, on Sunday visited the site where Sabri was shot dead on June 22.

Speaking to media, Sarwat talked about how despite the facts that arrests were made earlier, his late brother’s assassins have not yet been unmasked.

The brother urged the authorities to proceed with naming the killers, as it has been a year since Sabri’s death.

“The Liaquatabad underpass should be named after Amjad Sabri,” Sarwat said, adding that the memory of the singer remains in the family’s hearts.

Suspect shot dead

Kamran Bhatti, a highly wanted terrorist who was allegedly involved in Sabri’s murder, was killed on April 10 during an encounter with Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel in Sukkur.

He was a leading member of banned militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

 

Capri, Bobby detained

However, before that, Asim alias Capri and Ishaq alias Bobby – the two suspects in the Amjad Sabri murder case on December 16 last year -- confessed to having assassinated the famed Qawwal.

Capri and Bobby were taken into custody on November 7, 2016, from Liaquatabad, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah disclosed in a news conference, adding that a large cache of weapons was also recovered from their possession.

Capri was also arrested by Chaudhry Aslam in July 2013 in connection with the murder
case of MPA Sajid Qureshi, but was released on bail in 2015, following which he restarted criminal activity.

Earlier, police in July 2015 had reportedly apprehended one of the suspects involved in the assassination of Amjad Sabri in Gulshan-e-Iqbal’s Block 13-D, making it a significant breakthrough in the murder case.

Larger than lifeThe whole of Pakistan shed tears when the soulful voice of the larger-than-life qawwal was silenced in June last year, as the news was broadcasted to a stunned viewers. His funeral was attended by thousands of supporters, devotees and fans.

Sabri, son and nephew of renowned qawwali icons Ghulam Farid Sabri and Maqbool Sabri, respectively, was himself one of South Asia’s most popular singers of qawwali – the Sufi devotional music that dates back over 700 years.

The late star’s immortal voice will continue to remind Pakistan of its rich music tradition and its survival story through the multitude of problems facing the music industry.