HYDERABAD: Speakers paid homage to Allan Faqir, a folk singer par excellence, at a programme organised at Besant Hall Cultural Centre on Thursday to mark the artiste’s 23rd death anniversary.

Allan’s daughter, Farah Allan, opened proceedings at the programme by sharing her recollections of her father and said he was a loving and humble individual, who cared a lot for his family and friends. Whenever he went abroad, he would bring gifts for his friends, she said.

Mazhar Niaz Hussain, an accomplished artist, spoke of Allan’s close association with Ustad Niaz Hussain, who taught him nuances of semi-classical music and trained him in wai rendering.

Ehsan Maka, audio recordist, recalled the days when Allan would come to his father’s studio. Faqir Ali Bakhsh got his world famous alias Allan Faqir during his recordings at AA Studios, he said.

Naseer Mirza, a former director of Radio Pakistan, claimed nowhere in the world would anyone find an artist like Allan. His two years close association with Faqir Qurban Lanjwani reformed his singing and had him introduced on the stage of Bhitshah and Sindh by Mumtaz Mirza, he said, adding Abdul Hamid Akhund introduced Allan to international audience.

Niaz Panhwar, a senior journalist, spoke of the days he spent with Allan and informed audience that once residential area at Sindh University was cleared of cattle on the orders of Shaikh Ayaz and Allan’s cow was also taken away by police which Allan brought back later by singing his famous song, “huma huma hu”.

He was so humble and generous that he donated to a society for welfare of families of artist like Mai Bhagi, Mohammad Juman and many others out of his first earnings from foreign tour, he said.

Towards the end of the programme, Saain Juman Shah, lead singer of Shah jo Raag group, Mazhar Nazar and company and Fahim Allan enthralled the audience by singing the songs which had been sung and made popular by Allan.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2024