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Indian fans mourn Amjad Sabri, dub him the "Rockstar of Qawwali"

Indian fans mourn Amjad Sabri, dub him the "Rockstar of Qawwali"

Tributes from across the border poured in to honour the 45-year-old and his contribution to the world
Updated 23 Jun, 2016

Time stood still and everyone was left stunned.

On Wednesday, when Amjad Sabri was gunned down in a targeted attack, not only had one of the greatest qawwals of our time been silenced, but the whole world with him. The moment news of the singer's death made headlines, the shock reverberated beyond Pakistan.

Amjad Sabri with Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla - Photograph courtesy Routes2Roots
Amjad Sabri with Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla - Photograph courtesy Routes2Roots

Sabri was well-loved in Bollywood. Tributes from across the border poured in to honour the 45-year-old and his contribution to the world.

India.com honoured the Sufi legend by sharing seven of the Sabri brother's top qawwalis. "Their songs reflected the mysticism of Islam which remains unappreciated by the hardline elements," wrote the publication.

The Pakistani Sufi singer with Shah Rukh Khan - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots
The Pakistani Sufi singer with Shah Rukh Khan - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots

The Indian Express wrote an obituary on the legendary qawwal, listing his contribution to the world of music. "His death has left the music industry devastated," it read. The publication also chose to remember him through his music by putting together his best qawwalis and a short interview.

Sabri with Gulshan Grover - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots
Sabri with Gulshan Grover - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots

Hindustan Times, much like our own press, shared his last performance, which aired on Samaa TV Wednesday morning, along with a few of his other notable qawwalis.

Legendary qawwal with veteran actor Vinod Khanna - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots
Legendary qawwal with veteran actor Vinod Khanna - Photo courtesy Routes2Roots

Publications The Quint, DNA India, NDTV and First Post captured the shared grief of Pakistan and India through reactions of Pakistani and Bollywood celebs to the great legend's death. While The Hindu termed him the "Rockstar of qawwali", Times of India's headline mourned his untimely demise and read "Amjad Sabri: A divine voice silenced too young".

Comments

Sunil Jun 23, 2016 04:43pm
Its so tragic that his life has been cut short.
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An Indian Jun 23, 2016 04:50pm
We join you all in mourning his loss. The loss is not just of Pakistan but of humanity - we will miss him. May his soul rest in peace!!!
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Harmony-1© Jun 23, 2016 04:52pm
An amazing artist , an amazing character, an amazing human being - a loss to the people world over who love music - a unique kind of music!
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Karma Dorji Jun 23, 2016 05:16pm
We are sad today because all the voices who stand for peace and love are being silenced one by one. This is unfair, and not justice.
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useless Jun 23, 2016 05:28pm
such a waste of life....what an amazing artist...music the unifier of all...what is the use of army weapons this that and other if one cannot protect such beautiful god given treasures....
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Patrick Sarsfield Jun 23, 2016 05:31pm
Is Qawwali music enjoyed in other countries outside Pakistan. How can an artist of his renown be murdered and for what purpose?
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rahul Jun 23, 2016 05:33pm
This really hurts so deep......
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AZ Jun 23, 2016 05:43pm
Big Loss for Pakistan
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Philosopher (from Japan) Jun 23, 2016 05:54pm
Amjad you will be missed a lot. May God give you a highest place in Jannah.
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kundan kumar Jun 23, 2016 06:06pm
This is clearly a big loss to the music.
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Muhammad Ali Jun 23, 2016 06:13pm
Sad.. Why would one murder a Qawal who sings songs of peace and love.. Infact, he was a Sufi singer and this pains a lot..
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Masood Hussain Jun 23, 2016 06:17pm
A tregedy unlimited.
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JAVED RAHMAN Jun 23, 2016 06:43pm
@Karma Dorji you are so right please love human beings there is no gain in killing some one web are all the creation of same creator who loves us all
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Bharat Jha Jun 23, 2016 06:43pm
We lost such talent for no reason...
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dudenator Jun 23, 2016 06:47pm
He is a very big loss to the music world. May God give strength to his family to bear this loss.
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Rahul Jun 23, 2016 06:54pm
@Patrick Sarsfield The same reason John Lennon was assassinated. Terrorists lie to kill prominent personalities for the shock value to make their point.
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ARaza Jun 23, 2016 07:05pm
In India the discussion of tolerance started moment someone spoke about it. May it is Amir Khan or Salman Khan or Anupam Kher. Here in Pakistan we do not discus just come and shoot. This is what we miss the in the Democracy. It is not about having some elected members in the Parliament But in other walk of Life also. If that was case we might have listening to Sabri’s new Qawali now also
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Surya Murthy Jun 23, 2016 07:19pm
May his Soul rest in peace. This part of the world lost a music legend. It takes years for someone to become a lagend. So sad his life ended this way. May god give his family the strenghts to cope with the loss. Truely tragic.
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Sri Jun 23, 2016 07:19pm
RIP sir...
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Shridhar Subrahmanyam Jun 23, 2016 07:23pm
@Patrick Sarsfield Qawwali is a genre of music which celebrates the mysticism of Islam and is very much a South Asian phenomenon. The fundamentalists of Islam consider Sufi mystics and singers who sing qawwalis to be outside the pale and their music blasphemous. In earlier simpler times Sufi music was extremely popular in South Asia but with the rise of fundamentalism in Islam it is now mostly muted. Very unfortunate.
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Bea Jun 23, 2016 07:36pm
The cowards who killed him have no religion. R.I.P Amjad Sahib.
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kumar Jun 23, 2016 07:39pm
A sad day for devotional music in the subcontinent.
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p. vaidyanathan Jun 23, 2016 07:43pm
Very dangerous situation in Pakistan.
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Rahul Jun 23, 2016 07:46pm
As the old saying goes "a man who doesn't like music can kill someone"...so sad it had to be him.
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Talat Jun 23, 2016 07:50pm
This is a sad news for everybody.No body is safe in Pakistan.I pray for the country and people safety.
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Aditya Jun 23, 2016 08:06pm
RIP
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FutureWizard Jun 23, 2016 08:10pm
Such a loss.....such talented artist......#insupport from neighbor.
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F Khan Jun 23, 2016 08:17pm
Who would be so mad and cruel enough to kill a talented gem of a person like Amjad Sabri?
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Girish Madang Jun 23, 2016 08:24pm
I don't know what his killers got by killing him, but we all lost one of the very few that was gifted to us as great as him. My heart goes down for rest of us and his family.
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Girish Madang Jun 23, 2016 08:25pm
@AZ - Not just for Pakistan but all of us in millions who respected and loved this great artist.
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Naeem Jun 23, 2016 08:40pm
I had the pleasure of listening to him in person in Minneapolis. what a great person and a great loss.
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True Indian Jun 23, 2016 08:53pm
@JAVED RAHMAN , we Indians are unable to understand, what led to cause this murder. Why Pakistan establishment is entirely clueless in such murder, who is no ordinary man. If person like him, who is enemy less , can be murdered, what will happen to ordinary men? Please, take very strong actions against these type of Lawlessness . Culprits must be nabbed in order to instill confidence to common Pakistanis.
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AKKS Jun 23, 2016 08:56pm
May his soul rest in peace and may God almighty reward him the highest place in Jannah. It's a big loss for music lovers like me!
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Jhony Walker Jun 23, 2016 09:04pm
@True Indian This is politics of fear. Drawo aur chup karawo.
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Tahir Jun 23, 2016 09:57pm
A great tragic loss. He was an innocent artist who is murdered for nothing. Respect for indians.
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Zak Jun 23, 2016 10:36pm
Foreign funded TTP claimed responsibility. We pray for a pakistani talent who went down to the enemy. He is shaheed.
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Zulfiqar Shaikh Jun 23, 2016 10:40pm
This is the murder of humanity and against the philosophy of Islam, and I am not only shocked but shattered
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SMJ Jun 23, 2016 10:53pm
RIP Amjad Sabri the voice of peace.... you will be badly missed... but you will always be alive in the hearts of people of both our countries through your soulful music.
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mumtaz shah Jun 23, 2016 11:28pm
Tragic, no words can express this loss
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The Ravian Jun 24, 2016 12:20am
While expressing grieve regret over the loss of a precious life, I would like to say that no matter we are Pakistani or Indians, these sort of tragic events put us all on one page, reminding that 'yes' we feel same; we express same; we are same; yet, how suspicious and scary view we present of each other! Really a big question enshrouded in mystery and probably not for being answered ever! RIP Legend Sabri!
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Khan Saab Jun 24, 2016 12:55am
devastated!
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Rajiv Jun 24, 2016 01:45am
How very sad! Where is all this going to end? Just attack or shoot and kill people whom you disagree with! Why is there so much of violence, anger, and animosity in our world? Is there something we all can do to check this? For one, maybe we can teach our children to be respectful to others, to disagree in an agreeable way, to be tolerant, to learn to live and let live.
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zack Jun 24, 2016 02:22am
If Pakistan does not provide security to these wonderful singers then I say they should all move to India where they get respect, love , security and peace that Pakistan can never provide. What are the Pakistani people waiting for?? Why don't they go out and demonstrate against the criminal Talibans??
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Truth Jun 24, 2016 02:51am
@True Indian Pakistan needs to camera up all over Karachi just like UK. A beautiful city which has a high crime rate. Only way to find out the terrorists is through cctv system in every road and public places. People should have them out their houses too.
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Onlooker (Sydney) Jun 24, 2016 03:14am
@Zak When the whole music world is mourning the loss of a great music talent, brutally murdered by religious psychopaths within Pakistan, you smell foreign hand and in complete denial as usual. Either you are ignorant or paranoid or both. Even God can't help Pakistan when people with your mindset are around. What a shame.
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Sm Jun 24, 2016 03:44am
@zak please don't keep on saying foreign hand for everything. You are doing such disservice for Pakistan. Owning up an issue is half solved.
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Shahid Jun 24, 2016 03:57am
The question is when and who will stop all these killings. The area is always cordoned off in the aftermath, the locals are all interviewed, some celebrities bring up the topic in their morning shows and the head of police gives his intellectual statement and then ........ suddenly electricity outages, water shortages, non payments of salaries and then the country leaders like the PM and the CM travel abroad to enhance foreign relations. "The End,"
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Ahsan Gul Jun 24, 2016 03:59am
a man bigger than what people and press describes. May almighty bless his soul. and give patiance to his family. Impress me on first sight at Bufflow New York 18 May 2016c
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Satish Walia Jun 24, 2016 05:35am
Pakistan losing its KOHINOOR one by one.
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Marcus Jun 24, 2016 05:45am
There is so much love and hate between Indians and Pakistanis....never quite understood it....but it would appear that the people of both countries are moved by such losses....so it begs the question if both countries mourn and admire each other artists and people then what the hell are the governments doing to harmonise that love? Isnt it time that both countries shook hands and let bygones be bygones? Or is too much expectation on the ordinary citizen...
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Shahzad Jun 24, 2016 06:07am
Ameen.
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T.M. Reddy Jun 24, 2016 07:01am
Terrorists have no limits. They are fearless to the law and order. I am not sure how law and order people protectors can withstand this gruesome killings. There should not be a sanctuary for these idiots of whatever the creed, color or custom they may have. RIP my friend!!!
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Last Word Jun 24, 2016 08:09am
The man who sang in praise of the Almighty will find a place in jannat but not those who killed him.
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Ajaya K Dutt Jun 24, 2016 08:48am
Talent and an open heart that is above the borders. Just like a flying bird. Just like human emotions.
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Ajaya K Dutt Jun 24, 2016 08:56am
@Patrick Sarsfield - " Qawwali " is a word derived from "Kaul", which means dialogue (with God). Devotional sentiment is so good that many Hindus and Sikhs join in. I had observed in India that Muslim organizers accept us with open arms without hesitation.
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R C JHA Jun 24, 2016 09:47am
It is hard to understand that how much good or how much bad we are...society should watch his face in mirror...bcz we all are responsible for that...to tolerate such society is also sin...If u can't raise your voice be ready tolerate such incidences...is it life?
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hirjee Jun 24, 2016 10:59am
@Bea The killer is insane. He forgot that one day he has to die but he does not know how he will die too.
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Abbas Naqvi Jun 24, 2016 11:51am
Music is mourning the loss of its touching voice that left so many spellbound for so long.
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Vasan Jun 24, 2016 12:31pm
Amjad connected the world. He is world star of the qawwali! True cultural ambassador!
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Aamir Mustafa Jun 24, 2016 06:22pm
I really wonder why someone in the country would like to silence the voice which had been and would remain the heart beat for countless Muslims and non-Muslims who love to listen to qawali. I was literally shell shocked when the news of Mr. Sabri's assassination was broken. May he be showered countless blessing in heaven contrary to those who have gunned him down and would burn in hell.
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SHAK Jun 24, 2016 11:17pm
@Sunil yeah he just boarded
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SHAK Jun 24, 2016 11:19pm
people fired got only $100 to eliminate him gave us a loss of billions
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Syed Ahmed abdullah Jun 25, 2016 01:52am
@Patrick Sarsfield we are thinking the same thing what reason could have been behind the murder of such beautiful soul . Deeply saddened.
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Muhammad imran shaikh Jun 25, 2016 10:09am
Big loss pakistan
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huma Jun 28, 2016 04:03pm
such a great man
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Raj Jun 29, 2016 12:16pm
This is a big loss. I could not say anything then when I heard about this tragedy, even now my brain is frozen. This is it . There is nothing to be said any more. The funeral procession of tragedies is continuing :''(
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KP Jun 29, 2016 10:22pm
RIP , THAT'S ALL.
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