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Remembering Junaid Jamshed — the singer, the scholar, the philanthropist and Pakistan's national icon

Remembering Junaid Jamshed — the singer, the scholar, the philanthropist and Pakistan's national icon

JJ was a man of many labels — a trendsetter, a spiritual inspiration and the centre of much media attention
Updated 07 Dec, 2021

This article originally appeared in Dawn, December 8th, 2016


There will be no dearth of superlatives describing the public personality that was Junaid Jamshed.

He was a man of many labels — a trendsetter, a spiritual inspiration, the centre of much media attention and never far from controversy. As the nation pays tribute to the legend who died on the way to Islamabad from Chitral in a plane crash near Havelian city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday, there is an overwhelming sense of the loss of a national icon.

Junaid Jamshed was born in Karachi on Sept 3, 1964. His father Jamshed Akbar Khan, who passed away earlier this year, hailed from Nowshera and was a retired officer of the Pakistan Air Force. His mother Nafeesa Akbar Khan was the granddaughter of the nawab of Loharu state, an 11-gun salute state under the British Raj. Relatives recall that Junaid had wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and join the PAF, but he couldn’t fit the bill. He enrolled in the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore instead and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1990.

In one of his later interviews, Junaid said that fate had never agreed with the career path he had chosen for himself. He had had no plans on pursuing a career in music. The music followed him.

From performing at a rock gig in Peshawar University in 1983, to becoming the front man for his university band Nuts and Bolts, until finally skyrocketing to fame as the lead vocalist of Vital Signs, Junaid’s legacy as one of the most significant individuals in the Pakistani music industry had become indisputable.

(From left) Salman Ahmad, Rohail Hyatt, Shahi Hasan and Junaid Jamshed on the cover of a Vital Signs album
(From left) Salman Ahmad, Rohail Hyatt, Shahi Hasan and Junaid Jamshed on the cover of a Vital Signs album

The Vital Signs — fondly referred to as the Beatles of Pakistan — would set the bar for pop and rock music in Pakistan. 'Dil Dil Pakistan', released in 1987, would become an anthem that Junaid would acknowledge even as he later severed ties with the music industry.

Three years after he released his last solo album, Junaid renounced music and decided to devote his life to Islam.

Ayesha Salam, a cousin of Junaid’s, remembers him fondly as being a truly generous person. As relatives and close family friends gathered at the house in Karachi where the family had only recently mourned the death of his father, there were prayers being said for all those who had died in the tragic PK-661 plane crash. She calls it a national tragedy.

“We are mourning the deaths of all those who passed away in the plane crash. We are one in grief,” she says. Ms Salam recalls that while many celebrities made public their philanthropic works, Junaid would never speak of them in public. “He was an incredibly humble soul,” she says. Despite being a religious scholar with his own following, he never called himself an aalim.

Junaid was scheduled to deliver the Friday sermon at the Parliament Mosque this week and was on his way to Islamabad from a Tableeghi Jamaat mission in Chitral. On Wednesday, condolences poured in from around the world and several religious scholars, political figures and old friends took to Twitter to remember their old friend and comrade. Dr Mufti Ismail Menk of Zimbabwe, who was named one of the top 500 most influential Muslims in the world since 2010, tweeted: “I am saddened by news of the death of #JunaidJamshed and his wife in a #PIA plane crash. May the Almighty grant ease to all in the tragedy.”

Those who knew him say there was an aura around him, says Ms Salam. He will be remembered as a national singing icon, a pious and religious scholar, a TV personality, a successful entrepreneur, a politically conscious commentator, a philanthropist and a true gentleman. “He was immensely talented,” she says, “and there will never be another Junaid.”

Comments

Wasim Dec 08, 2016 11:08am
A true loss. We should pray to get more people like him who are such an inspiration to the nation in reforming their character
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Awais Ali Dec 08, 2016 11:17am
He gave us an unofficial National anthem "Dil Dil Pakistan" which will always remain in hearts of every Pakistan. RIP JJ.
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qaiser Dec 08, 2016 11:56am
Very sad on a loss of a talented life, but why does media calls him a scholar ?
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Pramod Verma Dec 08, 2016 12:03pm
I'm an Indian, a week back I appeared in a exam in which a passage had a mention of Junaid Jamshed, that's when I came to know about him. Feeling really sad about the loss of such a noble men. RIP JJ and all those aboard the flight.
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ark Dec 08, 2016 12:29pm
JJ....the man who made indians sing 'dil dil pakistan'
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AW Dec 08, 2016 12:49pm
@Pramod Verma - Thanks a lot, Mr. Verma and other people like you who feel for the real people irrespective of cast, creed, race, religion. The present world needs people like you. Thank you once again.
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rana Dec 08, 2016 01:04pm
jj was a true soul of paradise.
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T A Qazi Dec 08, 2016 01:34pm
An amazing singer, a successful businessman, a leading media personality, a noble preacher of the great religion just at the age of 52, what an achievement by JJ!! He was my hero, when I was hero of many in eighties. RIP JJ. You will be missed for a long time.
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Qaiser Dec 08, 2016 03:38pm
It's heart breaking, seems I lost part of my childhood
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Zahir (INDIA ) Dec 08, 2016 11:29pm
May The Almighty Bless this noble gentlemen with Jannah Al Firdaus. We will certainly miss him but his memories will remain in our heart's forever. Remarkable personality. Respect, Blessings and Prayers.
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Rathore Dec 08, 2016 11:34pm
Mehfil e Milad Sajai gai hay Arsh par Sana khawn zameen se bulaya gia hay
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Syed - Canada. Dec 08, 2016 11:42pm
very Sad.
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a Dec 09, 2016 12:08am
Few things : Beatles of Pakistan ? Really ?? Lol He completed his BE in 1990 at the age of 26 ?? Incredible ! What was he doing all these years between 1981 (age 17) to 1990 ? Icon of Pakistan ? Don't humiliate a nation by saying that. Good artiste , that's fair !
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Akber Dec 09, 2016 03:57am
A singer, yes but scholar and philanthropist ? by no means. He was even taking people on hajj (sort of a VIP arrangement) and charging them a huge amount for his services. Not sure which charity he was running or supporting.
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yasif Dec 09, 2016 05:07am
@AW thanks for your comments
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Kamran Dec 09, 2016 07:23am
So exactly how was he a philanthropist as the title says? Was he like Edhi Sahab or Bill Gates or Waren Buffet ? Or are you talking about the regular khairat zakat that he gave occasionally from his multiple businesses that utilized name of Islam to make money
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IMTIAZ ALI KHAN Dec 09, 2016 08:37am
@Pramod Verma Good people are in every faith and Mr Verma you are our family. It doesn't matter what religion a person belong it's the heart which matters the most. You have a heart of gold. God bless you. Love IAK.
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Shahbaz azmi Dec 09, 2016 12:25pm
A great loss indeed. However, let's not forget there were many other passengers too who are being totally ignored, not fair!!!
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Pakistani Dec 09, 2016 03:03pm
@a . So what have you achieved so far. If you cannot appreciate someone's hard work, at least do not belittle them.
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Faizan Aziz Dec 09, 2016 04:36pm
People leave us but their good deeds, good manner,and good works always with us. We always remember these personalities form the core of heart and and they are always with us.Allah bless the soul of junaid jamshed.
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sHAHID Dec 09, 2016 06:24pm
@Awais Ali Sorry it is a geet only and not our national anthem or even close to it.
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Amer Rao Dec 10, 2016 06:46am
We miss you J.J
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Proud Pakistani Dec 10, 2016 06:12pm
@sHAHID it may not be for you but for millions of Pakistanis is the second anthem. And you can check this online the messages sent by people across the world.
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British Pakistani Dec 11, 2016 12:30am
@Shahid - I have to agree with Proud Pakistani. Its also the Pak anthem for millions of Pakistani origin people born in the west (UK/US etc). We don't even know the original Paksar zameen anthem. We know Dil Dil Pakistan and that's in our hearts whenever we celebrate our heritage.
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Dec 12, 2016 07:45am
The day I heard the news living abroad also affected me so much ,a huge loss to Pakistan and the Muslim world May Allah gives him Jinnah Firdous.
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Osman Dec 12, 2016 08:00am
Still hard to believe...
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Junaid Ali Dec 07, 2017 05:38pm
Can’t believe one year have already passed it’s still feel like this tragic event took place yesterday :(
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Abbasshah Dec 07, 2021 07:48pm
Loved the vital Signs 1.
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Zulfiqar Dec 07, 2021 09:35pm
@Pramod Verma thanks for your kind words. We need more politicians/decision makers with your aptitude
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AJ Dec 07, 2021 09:51pm
Misogynistic bigot.
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AJ Dec 07, 2021 09:52pm
@qaiser no scholar, only superficial knowledge of religion like the rest of our scholars.
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NYS Dec 07, 2021 11:45pm
He was great inspiration for new generation as well he was idol of mine as I assign his name to my first born
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M. Afzal Riaz, MD Dec 08, 2021 12:20am
Why plane crashed? Lack of maintenance. The money for maintenance of planes is pocketed by PIA employees. Corruption.
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FAQ Dec 08, 2021 01:20am
The true Dil of Pakistan! Beats with our natural one till date! Won't be forgotten!
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Khalida Husain Dec 08, 2021 04:33am
I agree that he was a very talented singer, however he was not a scholar.
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skb Dec 08, 2021 06:51am
@qaiser I asked the same question,
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Ismail Dec 09, 2021 06:51am
@M. Afzal Riaz, MD I am sure JJ must be thinking wherever he is by reading your comments….. nothing to do with PIA and its maintenance procedures but it was a will of divine thus he left this world , some goes sooner and some follow later but everybody has to go by any excuse
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