Shahnaz Begum

March 29, 2019

Born in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, in 1952, the lady who laid the foundation stone of mesmerising patriotic songs breathed her last on Pakistan Day. Shehnaz Begum’s melodious songs are still ingrained in the minds of her audience. A beauty of the 1970s, with a beautiful voice, Shahnaz Begum rose to stardom by singing Masroor Anwar’s ‘Sohni Dharti’ and Jamiluddin Aali’s ‘Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan’. These songs made her immortal She was asked to sing these wherever she performed across the world. Shahnaz sang Urdu ghazals with perfection.

Nashid Kamal, the famous singer of Bangladesh, wrote about her: “As I met her last week at a quiet lunch in her home, Shahnaz explained how she went for Umrah with her husband Mr Rahmatullah and felt a change in her as she touched the Kaaba (2010)..” May her soul rest in eternal peace.

Iftikhar Mirza

Islamabad