LAHORE, April 2: The Lahore Arts Council will hold an evening in the honour of yore-years popular playback singer Naheed Akhtar in the current month.

According to officials, the evening is part of the series the council has recently started. The first tribute was paid to ghazal maestro Farida Khanum last month. Ms Akhtar would also be given Alhamra Excellence Award and a cash prize.

They say Naheed Akhtar has not been in the limelight for the last many years and leading a domestic life; her appearance on the stage of Alhamra will be a delight for people especially the generation of 70s and early 80s. The council will invite Akhtar’s contemporaries and colleagues on the occasion especially music composers and other people related to the film industry.

Officials say the evening will be divided into three segments -- an interview with Naheed Akhtar which will be conducted by some renowned film personality, screening of popular film songs she sang as a playback singer and comments of celebrated figures from film and television on her singing career.

The council, according to officials, has not yet finalised the cash amount as the LAC board of governors will decide it. Farida Khanum was given a cash prize of Rs500,000.

The council is at present working on the collection of famous songs sung by Akhtar, both audio and video, which would be screened and played. Some leading singers are also expected on the occasion to sing songs sung by Naheed Akhtar. The presentation of songs will be divided into different periods of Akhtar’s career. Some performances by film and TV artistes have also been arranged by the council on the occasion. It will be a non-ticketed event.

Naheed Akhtar was discovered by veteran musician M. Ashraf in the mid-1970s. She was the replacement of Runa Laila, who had left Pakistan the same year. Her debut film was ‘Nanha Farishta’ in 1974 and that year she sang songs for film ‘Shama’ as well.