PESHAWAR: As the world celebrated the music day on Friday, popular Pashto folk singer Zarsanga has cried for help as she has been living in a pitiable condition.

The world music day was first launched in Paris by French ministry of culture way back in 1982. The theme for the current year music day is ‘what is new this year’.

The desert melody queen has demanded of the cultural department to provide her with financial assistance and free medical treatment.

Bad luck struck the nomad folk singer two years ago when a group of people forcibly entered her residence in Azakhel area in Nowshera district and attacked her sons over a monetary issue and also left her seriously injured.

Zarsanga has been suffering from asthma and other multiple health issues since long. Recipient of President’s Pride of Performance, she has been to the US, UK, France, Germany and Gulf States and has around 1,200 hit Pashto albums to her credit.

Official says culture directorate hasn’t received any request from her family for help

“It is my humble request to Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to arrange for my free medical treatment and extend financial support and provide if possible a government quarter where I could live with my family. I want to contribute to Pashto folk music till last. I am old but my voice is young,” said the melody queen.

According to her son Shahzada, the issue was resolved by handing over their home to rivals and resultantly Zarsanga shifted her family comprising over 96 persons to Kohat where she has been living in a tent alongside other nomad families in miserable condition for the last over two years.

The septuagenarian, folk singer told this scribe that she had been suffering from several health issues but could not afford medical treatment. She added that it had become almost impossible to feed her extended family comprising six married sons and grandchildren.

“Since I have fallen sick, no government or private organisation has invited me to perform. If free treatment is provided, I will be able to perform because I have a matchless voice,” the folk singer said proudly.

She recalled that her late husband Mula Jan was a drummer and had composed 80 per cent of hit folk songs for her while late Khan Tahsil was not only her cousin but like a brother and their duo remained most popular, enjoying a large following in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Afghanistan.

She regretted that she had been forced to live in a tent under miserable circumstances due to her weak financial position.

An official of culture directorate, when contacted, said that according to his information Zarsanga had been living in a five-room rented home in a residential colony in Kohat whereby the monthly house rent of Rs10,000 was being paid by the local authorities under an agreement for two years and she had also been receiving monthly stipend of Rs30,000.

He said that the culture directorate had received no application from family of Zarsanga for financial assistance yet.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2019