A fundraiser held in Karachi recently for the development of education for underprivileged children in Balochistan turned into a delightful evening with steller performances by Hadiqa Kiani, Fuzon, Ustad Nafees Ahmed Khan, Ustad Bashir Khan (tabla) and the province’s very own, Akhtar Chanal Zehri.

Tiled Mashal-i-Sabuq, Light of Literacy — Homage to Balochistan, the event was organised by the supporters of The Citizens Foundation and, other than the music the cuisine also carried the Balochi theme forward. The show as hosted by Anoushey Ashraf and Ali Safina. One of TCF’s own success stories, Nadeem Hussain, opened the evening by giving a moving speech on his own journey of joining TCF as an underprivileged child and later getting admitted to one of the most prestigious business schools in the country — the IBA.

The national anthem was played before the performers took to the stage starting with Ustad Nafees Ahmad Khan and Ustad Bashir Khan who performed the Raag Bhopali. They were followed by Akhtar Chanal Zehri who, along with his troupe, performed several Balochi folk numbers.

A young Khurram Iqbal has replaced Rameez as the lead singer of Fuzon. He along with Emu and Shallum performed their signature songs, Ankhon Kay Sagar, Dewane, Akhian and Teray Bina. They paid tribute to Reshma by covering her song, Chori Chori and collaborated with Ustad Nafees Ahmed Khan on Mora Saiyan Mu Say Bolay Na.

Hadiqa Kiani came out of hibernation and covered Edith Piaf’s classic number, La Vie En Rose. She performed the soundtrack of the television drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Her rendition of a kalam by Baba Bulleh Shah was a befitting end to the evening.