Daily Times

I was trying to plead my case to the Passport Officer about my mother’s passport because he had some questions that I was trying to respond in my mother’s absence. I saw a young man, who was perhaps there to pick up his wife’s passport. He was visibly concerned as well, as he was about to leave the country with his wife. I recognised him and jokingly said to him to sing his unofficial national anthem to the passport officers to get it faster. The man who was an icon in every respect and regard very plainly refused my suggestion and said that he was not looking for any favours or preferential treatment. This brief encounter happened in the year 1990 at the Passport Office in Downtown Karachi. I was on a visit back home, and yes that celebrity was none other than one of the most sought after the pop singer of those days, Junaid Jamshed. If I remember correctly, it was the year that he had gotten married and was planning on leaving for his honeymoon somewhere.

Let’s go back a bit further and perhaps in 1989, one of my friend had just returned from a trip from Pakistan. Knowing my deep passion and interest for music, he shared the “special stuff” he had brought from Karachi. In his peculiar style, he shared, the entire country was in awe of this musical group called “Vital Signs.” This is how I was introduced to “Dil Dil Pakistan.” The track was played so many times that I honestly do not even remember, and our parties were incomplete without it. Vital Signs became a household name undoubtedly in Pakistan and the diaspora here as well. The lead singer Junaid Jamshed carried the weight on his shoulder, and his voice was what people yearned for.

When you come to this world, you cry and make your presence felt. All your life you want to be heard, because your voice is your main source of communication with the rest of the world. Your voice is an expression, and very few gifted people can use this to reach millions of hearts, all at once. Those are remarkable people who give many unspoken words and emotions a channel with their melodies. Hence this bond is everlasting and unbreakable.

Back in the early 90’s, the Pakistani pop music was entering into a new phase from Alamgir and Mohammed Ali Shehki, Tehseen Javed, and Nazia-Zoheb duo to Vital Signs. In those days, the group was the inspiration for many other bands that started to appear on the Pakistani pop scene. The others tried to emulate, but of course, the pioneers and premier group was this one.

Perhaps it was 1991 when the group came to town here on their US tour. The entire gang of our friends went to a far-flung high school where the concert was held on a summer evening. I still remember it began with the “Goray rung ka zamana” and ended with the signature track “Dil Dil Pakistan.” Electrifying and heartwarming give you a lot of positive feelings about the homeland that gave you birth and your identity.

Years moved ahead, the transformation happened, and the same pop icon became a televangelist and a preacher. Of course, many people were very impressed with his new chapter in life. I was impressed with his ability to change and remaining steadfast in his path. No matter how hard he tried, the fans would never let the pop singer they once knew, ever die. With various excuses or requests, fans would make him at least hum his super hit tracks, especially Dil Dil. No matter how hard he tried, he could not bury his original persona for good.

There are memories of times that most people reminisce, and a song or a track enables them to relive that memory. This relationship between an artist and his or her fans is an everlasting relationship which never dies. Even death of the artists does not break that bond. With PIA Flight 661’s unfortunate crash, the physical Junaid Jamshed may have departed with the rest of the passengers and crew members. But the artist Junaid Jamshed, the devotional vocalist, will remain with us, till we transfer from this physical world.

Perhaps it was last year or the year before, that I received a request to connect with a Junaid Khan on a business networking site. When I opened the email request, it was the gentleman I knew like many others as Junaid Jamshed. When he was dragged into an unnecessary controversy of blasphemy, I did my two cents bit by at least saying what was right, here at this platform and tried to alter a mind or two to look at the entire situation a bit differently.

We all have to go, one day or the other, no one knows when, but we all hope to go the easiest way. Everyone has a qualifier of “when my time comes.” The fact is no one knows, what and when that time is. We all hope that time is to our liking and convenience. The fact is it is one thing that we have no control over. It may sound typical if one says that voices remain in hearts forever. So, we must create a little corner in that heart to store the melodies of our departed friend. The year has swallowed two leading devotional vocalists, Amjad Sabri and Junaid Jamshed. It has been a deep loss, and one can hope that where they rest forever, they stay in peace, tranquillity and eternal bliss. (Ameen)

The writer is a Pakistani-American mortgage banker. He can be reached at dasghar@aol.com and of Twitter @dasghar.

The writer is a Pakistani-US mortgage banker. He can be reached at dasghar@aol.com and on Twitter @dasghar