Iconic singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan honored with lifetime achievement award

Karachi: The iconic Sufi singer, musician, and qawwal Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was awarded the lifetime achievement award and honorary membership by the Arts Council Karachi.

On this occasion, Rahat said, “I am honored to be accepting this award by Arts Council, a world-renowned institute of Arts & Culture”. He went on to say: “I cannot put my feelings into words for the honor bestowed on me”.

Calling noted writer and TV presenter Anwar Maqsood as his mentor, the singer said that he is the legend of words and stories. “It is not less than an honor for me to speak in front of him. Ahmad Shah chose beautiful words for my introduction”.

Rahat became the first Pakistani musician to have received this honor from the Arts Council Karachi, which was previously awarded to Zia Mohyuddin, Anwar Maqsood, Iftikhar Arif, Amar Jaleel, and Asad Muhammad Khan.

Minister of Culture Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that there is no grammar of love and music. The greatest musicians of our time are present among us today; it’s an honor for everyone. He said that the combination of folk and classical music which was created by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is maintained by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

“There is an inverted river of music and melody which flowed upwards it belongs to Abida Parveen and the river of melody flowed straight up and that belongs to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan,” said Sardar Shah.

“We are proud to present Lifetime Achievement Award and the Lifetime Membership of Arts Council to Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in recognition of his massive achievements,” said Mohammad Ahmed Shah president of Arts Council who was accompanied by the Culture Minister of Sindh Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Living legend Anwer Maqsood, International producer Salman Ahmed and Secretary Arts Council Ejaz Ahmed Farooqi.

On the occasion, Ahmed Shah called for the nomination of Nishan-e-Imtiaz for the music legend Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from the government of Pakistan.

In addition, Anwar Maqsood had an interesting conversation with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in which Anwar Maqsood humorously said, “Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been singing for a long time but it is surprising to give him this award at this age, he is still very young, and this award should be given to those who are involved in NAB cases.”

At the end of the ceremony, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan sang “Mera Iman Pakistan,” & “Aaj Rang Hai and received a standing ovation from the audience. ۔ While singing, he remembered his co-performer Late Amjad Sabri.