THE current year marks the 57th anniversary of the inauguration of Pakistan Television (PTV). The institution deserves to celebrate the landmarks it has achieved over the years. President Ayub Khan had inaugurated the pilot television station in Lahore on Nov 26, 1964. Initially the live transmissions lasted only for around six hours in the evening, but people were enthralled by this new mode of entertainment.

As I and my elder brother Javed Rahim had great passion for singing, we met Aslam Azhar, the first managing director of PTV, to get a break on television. My brother was also the president of the music club at the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore. Aslam Azhar, considered the ‘father of Pakistan Television’, gave a long sermon to my brother to concentrate more on his studies rather than allowing distractions to come in the way.

Nevertheless, he asked my brother to produce a 15-minute programme for which the latter composed a tune for Hasrat Mohani’s ghazal, Bhulata lakh hoon laekin, brabar yad atey haen, and subsequently presented it on the television.

In 1969, when Lahore station was still telecasting its transmissions from the same place, Moneeza Hashmi would produce a programme Sab Rang for amateur singers. I got a chance in this programme and sang Ahmad Faraz’s ghazal, Muntazir kab se tahayyur hai teri taqreer ka, which was composed by Akhtar Hussain Akhian. In those days, a lot of hard work used to go behind even for a five-minute slot. A singer would be allowed to perform only after having undergone rehearsal more than a few times.

In 1976, the plains and villages in Punjab were devastated by unprecedented rains and floods. TV producer Nusrat Thakur provided me with an opportunity to sing a Punjabi prayer song Be shakhay, be patrey rukhan nu hareali de de” [(O God) Provide greenery to the trees, which are without branches and without leaves]. This was brilliantly composed by Kalay Khan.

In 1977, I sang another Punjabi song, Uth sungiya uth jaag ke chirian bol payyan (Get up my partner, even the sparrows have started chirping), in the composition of Khadim Hussain Faizi. The programme was produced by Shahid Mahmood Nadeem. This was the year that marked the end of my fleeting association with the PTV as I had to pack my things and move to Daharki in Sindh in relation to my professional assignments. I still recall those three appearances on television with nostalgia.

Parvez Rahim
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2021