Daily Times

Tell us about your foray in the field of engineering, writing and singing. How did it all begin for you?

I used to cover songs as a natural gift. These songs included “Aei Ga Aaane Waala” from ‘Mahal’ and “Awaz De Kahan Hai?” by Surinder Kaur and Noor Jahan. My singing remained restricted to family and school. The talent was encouraged by my mother Mumtaz Begum, daughter of poet cum mathematician Khawaja Dil Muhammad, my sister Dr Suraiya and brother Dr Khalid Akram, both students of King Edward Medical College. My brother used to take me on his bike to his college functions where I performed at swimming galas and stage dramas, etc. Principal Dr Riaz Qadeer was the chief guest. We in the family were allowed to listen to radio programmes. In Central Model School and Government College, I remained a member of music societies and participated in inter-school and inter-varsity music competitions. My father Sheikh Abdul Karim wanted his children to strike a balance between education and extracurricular activities. This was followed by me by becoming an engineer by profession following my father’s desire. Writing came as inheritance from my maternal grandfather and brother and sisters who were very fond of reading books.

You have been the vice president of multinational engineering firm NESPAK. Tell us about your experience working there.

In Nespak I went from UET where I was already in Grade 19 as Associate Professor and continued in Nespak for 30 years heading various important specialty divisions like Overseas and Power and Mechanical Divisions before becoming MD. Being recognized professionally coupled with my TV appearances were catalyst in getting business whether in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or in Turkey. I worked hard as an engineer, wrote technical articles and bagged President’s and Dr. AQ Khan Awards in engineering.

In 2000, you were bestowed with the honourable and the highly coveted Pride of Performance award by the president. Were you expecting the honour and who communicated to you at first that you were in line for it?

I was informed on August 13, 1999 by Dr Anwar Nasim, a friend in Islamabad that I was one of the recipients of this honour. Later I discovered that it was due to the convincing support of Provincial Secretary Tariq Mahmud and due to the support of Ar. Abdullah, Federal Secretary (I have never met him) and the recommendations of Punjab Government that I received this award due to my contributions in singing folk and light music including Iqbal’s poetry and Kashmir songs. In the year 2000, my daughter Kiran and I went to Presidency to receive this coveted honour.

I was informed on August 13, 1999 by Dr Anwar Nasim, a friend in Islamabad that I was one of the recipients of Pride of Performance. Later, I discovered that it was due to the convincing support of Provincial Secretary Tariq Mahmood and due to the support of the federal secretary Abdullah and the recommendations of the Punjab government that I received this award owing to my contributions in singing folk and light music including Iqbal’s poetry and Kashmir songs

You are avid writer on film, television and music. In your view, how have these three mediums evolved in the country over time? In what ways have they strengthened or weakened?

My interest in listening to melody music since my childhood enticed me to write on melody makers and melody singers. Two of my books have covered some musicians falling in this category. The writing is based on my personal opinions on their styles and their films and on film music. I took help of friends and internet. Films were a natural corollary. Music has grown commercially but fallen in quality due to non-professional approach in the selection of lyrics and making of tunes. We started depending more on music bands and loud music. Even socially DJs have overcome traditional Dholak songs. We have taken help of electronic instruments more rather than using traditional instruments like Sarangi and Sitar. Whenever amalgamation is made it gives better results. Poetry has more or less the same state of affairs. Films till 1980s were based on social problems with seasoned actors and directors despite with lak of technical financial health were good. Gandassa culture ruined this effort with the coming of films like Maula Jutt and alike. Now things are getting brighter especially from Karachi where drama crew has started film ventures. Let Lahore also follow. I felt proud when I watched Bin Roye in Houston. But only Pakistani crowd was there. No Indians.

You are a well travelled person who has completed education from the United Kingdom. What made you come back to Pakistan and work here?

I am basically a patriotic Pakistani. I represented Pakistan in Ghalib’s centenary in 1969 in London. I travelled to London from Birmingham on the instructions of my Embassy. India was represented by Om Prakash and Rajinder Singh Bedi. I have seen the lives of Pakistani strugglers in UK, the way they worked hard for their bread and butter among the partiality of locals. I always missed my country which I believe is very rich in its resources; manpower, agriculture, minerals and water. I spend five minutes in my one hour lectures to my students to be Pakistanis first than anything else later. I encourage my students to come on Stage and speak to remove their shyness as they have to face this world, at home or abroad. I have foregone many offers for staying abroad to remain in my country as I have seen my contemporaries who opted to stay abroad having none of their children around to look after them. I tell them to resist the enemy’s designs of buying a small section of our politicians who still resist building of dams. Look what India is doing; building dams on our rivers and sending the waters to Pakistan during flooding season.

You have written numerous books on musicians and the history of music in Pakistan. Tell us about your published materials and which have been some of your favourite?

I have written hundreds of book reviews since 1980s. I compiled selected few in the form of my books Symphony of Reflections and Rainbow of Reflections. Rainbow of Reflections is under print. Vaterans Hanif Ramay, Dr. Wazir Agha and Ahmad Nadim Qasmi wrote introductions. My books on music are Melody Makers 1 and 2. Melody Singers 1 & 2. Their Urdu versions. I found Nurjehan as the best playback singer of the twentieth century, Khayyam as the best Melody Maker of India, Khwaja Khurshid Anwar from Pakistan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan as classical vocalist, though there are many others wo are equally good also for which one needs to read my books.

What are you currently working on?

On thumris and Kashmiri songs

You are the proud recipient of many awards, laurels and medals. What according to you has been you biggest achievement so far?

My concert in Myanmar in Yangon in 1998 attended by more than a thousand audience I had to sing Bahadur Shah Zafar and my PTV songs for hours. This Independence Day Function was arranged by Mr. Javed Hafiz Ambassador. It was much before the Rohingya debacle. All I remember is greenery, chirping of the birds and pagodas.

What motives you to excel no matter what?

My passion for my areas of interest and an ability to make my countrymen proud of me

What is your vision for Pakistan and what does it mean to be Pakistani for you?

Vision of Pakistan is to improve the economy only then we can fight our enemies. Let the plunderers return the plundered money. Let the masses get the relief. Let us build Kalabagh and other dams. Let us give full moral and political support to Kashmiris. Pakistan then shall emerge as a powerful nations. It has good people around.

Tell us about a memorable moment in your career.

Memorable events are many. I shall quote one, my four concerts in Yangon Myanmar in August 1998 when I was guest of Ambassador Javed Hafiz. It was peaceful there. My six hours performance to an audience of 1,000 plus who listened to ghazals by Bahadur Shah Zafar and to my PTV songs.

We, at Daily Times, consider you one of our national heroes. Who are some of yours?

My national heroes are those who made Pakistan; Jinnah, Iqbal and my grandfather who wrote national poems like Uth Baandh Qamar Kaya Darta Hei, Phir Daikh Khuda Kaya Karta Hei. Among present generation I pray for the success of Imran Khan who is fighting the bad economy he inherited and the designs of our internal and external enemies. I shall consider anyone who makes Kalabagh Dam as my hero.

Achievements

MASTER OF ALL TRADES

Dr Amjad Parvez is an award-winning singer, a recognised author and a distinguished engineer and broadcaster.

HELM OF AFFAIRS

Amjad Parvez has served as chief engineer, general manager, vice president and managing director of National Engineering Services Pakistan.

SCHOLARLY PURSUITS

Parvez completed his basic education at Central Model School in 1960. He then joined Government College, Lahore and University of Engineering & Technology (UET) from where he graduated in Mechanical Engineering in 1967. After joining UET in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, he proceeded to the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1968, where he qualified for a master’s degree in Quality and Reliability Engineering in 1969 and a Doctorate in Engineering Production in 1972. He joined as professor at UET responsible for teaching and research at graduate and post-graduate levels in its Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Department. He also set up a consulting company for UET namely Engineering Services UET Pakistan Limited. From 2011 to 2013, he served as the Head of Department for Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lahore. He is a visiting faculty member at Lahore Leads University.

HONOURED AT HOME

Parvez has been bestowed with the Gold Medal Award by the President of Pakistan for writing the best technical paper for the Institution of Engineers, Pakistan, in 1977. He was given the Dr AQ Khan Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institution of Engineers, Pakistan in 2009. He also bagged the Pride of Performance Award in 2000 by the President of Pakistan.

INTERNATIONAL STAR

In his career, Parvez has also performed in the US, UK, France, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Myanmar and India.