FAISALABAD: Renowned ghazal singer Ijaz Qaiser passed away on Monday and was laid to rest in a local graveyard in People’s Colony No 2 here on Tuesday.

Afzal Jamal, a singer, told Dawnthat Qaiser had a protracted illness and he had a cardiac arrest on Monday.

He was shifted to hospital but he could not survive. Jamal said the funeral prayers for the deceased were offered at the Pahari Wali Ground and he was laid to rest in Siddiqia graveyard. Qaiser is survived by a son, Mumtaz Qaiser, and a widow.

Afzal Jamal said due to illness, Qaiser had stopped singing a couple of years ago.

Ijaz Qaiser, born on January 1, 1954, received the Pride of Performance Award in 2016. He sang many ghazals in the 1970s and the 1980s on the Radio Pakistan. His famous ghazals included Mudetain Ho Gaeen Hain Chup Rehte, Tamanaon Mein Uljhaya Gaya Hoon (Shad Azimabadi), Ankh Barsi Hay Teray Naam Peh Sawan Ki Tarah (Murtaza Barlas).

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2020