HYDERABAD: Distingui­shed Sufi singer of international repute Jamaluddin Faqir died in a private hospital here on Sunday evening. He was 65. He was laid to rest in his home town, Bobi Station, in Sanghar on Monday. He has left a widow, five sons and four daughters.

Faqir had been suffering from multiple ailments and complications for a couple of months and had already undergone a surgery. He was rushed to a private hospital in Hyderabad after his condition suddenly deteriorated on Sunday.

He was kept in the intensive care unit and reports of a few medical examinations were awaited when he died. His son, Barkat Jamal, took the body to Bobi Station for burial.

The culture department had provided Rs40,000 as assistance for his treatment.

Former Radio Pakistan Hyderabad station director Naseer Mirza, poet Sattar Malik, Taj Joyo and many other prominent figures in the fields of music, literature, Sufism and folk singing received the news of Faqir’s death with shock and paid homage to him.

Several thousands people, mainly admirers of Jamal Faqir, besides his family members, relatives, friends and fellow singers, attended the funeral which took place near Bobi Station on Monday evening, our Sanghar correspondent adds.

People from all walks of life had started arriving in the town since morning after receiving the news about his death on Sunday evening. Manjhi Faqir, an eminent Sufi singer, performed at the funeral at a large gathering, attended by participants in the funeral, held in the Maikhana — a hall where Jamal Faqir and his fellow singers used to practise recitals and occasionally present mystic music performances.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016