August 17, 2007	Friday	Sha’aban 3, 1428

KHAIRPUR, Aug 16: Renowned Sufi singer Faqir Qalandar Bukhsh Khaskheli died on Wednesday due to renal failure on Wednesday night. He was 55 and leaves behind wife, two sons and two daughters. He was laid to rest in a graveyard at his native Hussain Bukhsh Khaskheli village in the Thari Mirwah area on Thursday.

Qalandar Bukhsh was admitted to the Nawabshah Medical College Hospital a week ago where he . He had been suffering from Hepatitis-C and kidney problem for the last 10 years.

Qalandar Bukhsh started learning music during his childhood and launched his career by singing with Sohrab Faqir with whom he remained associated for 20 years. He formed his own “Sung” (group of Sufi singers) about 10 years ago. Five years ago, he migrated from Khairpur to Moro where he taught singing to budding vocalists.

He was one of the popular Sufi singers of Sindh who specialised in rendering verses of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai, Sachal Sarmast, Khush Khair Mohammad Hisbani, Dur Mohammad Hisbani and Ghamdal Faqir in an ecstatic way. Recording of several of his songs are available at the music library of Radio Pakistan’s Khairpur station.

He was associated with the shrine of Sufi saint-poet Khush Khair Mohammad Hisbani and was a disciple of Faqir Dur Mohammad Faqir Hisbani.

Many Sufi singers including Sohrab Faqir, Sharif Abbasi, Rajab Faqir, relatives and other people attended the funeral.