CHAKWAL, March 26: Completely blind but continuously searching the world of music and literature, 34-year-old Hassan Liaquat lives and breathes harmonium and books. A singer and a poet, Liaquat never went to a school but he has learnt by heart works of major poets and is an avid reader of philosophy. The vast drawing room of his home near the Government Post Graduate College in Chakwal is full of books.

Never allowing blindness to become a hurdle throughout his life, nowadays Liaquat is teaching music at one of the city’s major private educational institutions. He feels fulfillment in teaching music to kids. “This country has extraordinary talent.

All it needs is art-friendly atmosphere.”

To hone his skills as singer, he became pupil of various musicians in Lahore. A winner of All Pakistan Blind Singers Contest held in Multan in 2008, Liaquat also won a ‘Sword of Honour’ from Pakistan Army as he enthralled the audiences in a function held at Mangla Cantonment. He stood second in All Pakistan Music Competition held at National Library in Islamabad in 2010.

“I had learnt all the famous songs of K L Saigol, Mohammad Rafi and Lata when I was young,” he said. The credit for this goes to his grandfather. “My grandfather would listen to classical music on radio and he also used to play Bansari. It motivated me to become involved with music.”