LAHORE: The killing of famous qawal Amjad Sabri in Karachi on Wednesday shocked the singers of Lahore, who expressed their deep sorrow and grief.

Many of them demanded that the government take serious measures for the security of art institutions and artistes at large along with general people and high profiled personalities.

Legendary singer Abida Parveen told Dawn the murder of Sabri was an extremely tragic one. The shooting, she said, left her in a state of shock and it was unbelievable that Amjad Sabri had been murdered who used to enlightened hearts through Sufi devotional music of qawalis and hymns.

“What (wrong) the artiste had done?,” she raised the question.

She sought government’s attention towards its obligations towards the people, saying “those at the helm of government affairs are like parents and the public is like their children and if parents wouldn’t give attention to the killing of their children, who else would take this responsibility”. She demanded that the government take serious measures to end the wave of terrorism.

Folk singer Arif Lohar said Sabri was not only a great talent but also a wonderful human being.

To Shafqat Amanat Ali, he has lost a great friend and a loving brother.

Singer Shabnam Majeed has also expressed her grief and sorrow over this heinous terrorism activity. She urged the government to beef up security for art and culture places such as arts councils.

Singer Humera Arshad also called Sabri’s killing a great tragedy and a shocking moment for her. She said it was the first terrorism activity in the country targeting the artist community which had jolted the entire country.

Earlier, qawal Saeed Chishti was shot dead in 2007 in Punjab.

Executive Director of the Lahore Arts Council retired Capt Atta Muhammad Khan also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the murder of Sabri.

Mr Khan told Dawn that the council in the wake of current terrorism wave would beef up its security.

PML-Q: The Pakistan Muslim League-Q leadership has condemned the murder of Qawal Amjad Sabri and demanded immediate arrest of his killers.

PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Pervaiz Elahi have expressed their heartfelt grief and sorrow over the killing of Amjad Sabri and said his services would be remembered for long.

In a statement, the PML leaders demanded that the killers of Sabri be apprehended immediately and exemplary punishment should be given to them according to the law.

In their message to the bereaved family, they said the whole nation shared its grief.

QADRI: Pakistan Awami Tehreek Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri has said people will continue to die in terror acts until a cure for the infection of terrorism is found.

In a statement, he expressed grief at the killing of Amjad Sabri and regretted that terrorists and target killers were roaming free and the government’s writ seemed nowhere.

He said the attack on Sabri and kidnapping of the Sindh High Court chief justice’s son was an evidence of the existing terrorism network. But, he regretted, the “so-called democratic rulers” had shut their eyes to the menace.

He said the National Action Plan had been devised to remove these factors but regrettably its offices had not yet been established despite the plan having been adopted more than a year ago.

PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders Munazza Hasan, Saloni Bukhari and others have expressed condolences and concern over the target killing of Amjad Sabri.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2016