Punjabi folk singer Shaukat Ali has passed away in Lahore at the age of 78.
He had been undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in the city for almost a month. His son Ameer Shaukat Ali had said in a video posted a few days earlier that his father was being treated by the Army on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s directives.
Ameer also said he was thankful to Major General Babar Iftikhar, the Director-General of Inter-Service Public Relations.
Born into a family of artists in Malakal, a town in Gujrat district (now in Mandi Bahauddin district). According to Wikipedia, Shaukat Ali began singing in the 1960s. While at college, receiving help from his elder brother Inayat Ali Khan.
He was introduced into the film industry world as a playback singer. In the renowned film music director M Ashraf in the Punjabi film Tees Maar Khan in 1963. Shaukat Ali sang countless songs – including some super hits like the war-time patriotic song “Saathio Mujahido” and the national song “Apna Parcham Aik, Apna Quaid-i-Azam Aik Hai” – during his almost five-decade-long career.
Shaukat Ali was one of the most prolific singers in Pakistani who was equally good at singing ghazal, devotional, folk, and patriotic songs.
He was awarded the Presidential Pride of Performance, the highest civil award, in 1990 in recognition of his services. He was also given the title of ‘Voice of Punjab’ in 1976. In 2013, he was honored with the ‘Pride of Punjab’ award by the Pakistan Institute of Language, Art, and Culture.
PM grieved over the demise of the renowned singer.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the sad demise of the renowned singer.
He prayed for the departed soul’s elevation to high ranks and the fortitude to the bereaved family.