PESHAWAR: Fans mourned the death of popular Afghan Pashto folk singer Qamar Gula, who passed away in Ontario, Canada, late Friday.

The Pashtun Council Canada (PCC) confirmed the death in a post on its website quoting the deceased’s family sources.

It said Ms Gula, 72, was laid to rest in a local cemetery the same day.

The singer left behind three sons and grandchildren and thousands of fans to mourn her death.

Pashto ghazal maestro Khial Mohammad and nomad folk artist Zarsanga expressed grief and sorrow over Ms Gula’s death and declared it a precious loss for Pashto music.

‘Melody Queen’ passes away in Canada at 72

Ms Gula’s music career spanned over five decades. She received the prestigious awards of both Afghanistan and Pakistan over her immense contributions to Pashto music.

Veteran Pakistani TV actor Jamal Shah took to Twitter and paid tribute to Ms Gula.

“Rest in peace Merman Qamar Guli. You epitomised the range, depth and beauty in Pashto music for decades and will be remembered forever,” Mr Shah tweeted.

Born in the Afghan province Nangrahar in 1952, Ms Gula had begun her singing career at the tender age of seven and shot to fame 15 years later when the Radio and Television Afghanistan (RTA) aired her maiden Pashto folk song. Soon she became a household name.

Ms Gula was the recipient of over 200 awards and commendation certificates for her contributions to Pashto folk music.

She had 2,500 albums to her credit. After 9/11 terrorist attacks, in 2007 to be exact, she immigrated to Canada and lived with her children thereafter.

Her most popular numbers included Che Mey Meena Khudai, Raza Che Uewa Jurra and Pa Ma Mayena.

Ms Gula scaled the heights of the singing profession after marrying a talented music director at the RTA, Ustad Mohammadin Zakhel, who trained her in music genres from folk to light ghazal to Afghan symphonies, but the Russian invasion of Afghanistan forced her, like millions of Afghans, to leave the war-stricken homeland.

Along with her family, Ms Qula shifted to Peshawar in early 80s. The deputy commissioner of the provincial capital allotted a “humble” residence to her as a goodwill gesture, like several noted folk singers Ustad Shah Wali, Said Alam, Munawar Ustad, Gula Jan, Nawab Ustad, and popular couple Naghma and Mangal.

The culture department opened doors of radio and TV on Afghan folk artists and literati.

Ms Gula sang popular numbers of Rahman Baba, Hamza Shinwari, Ghani Khan, Qalandar Momand and Ajmal Khattak and carved out a niche for herself among the local artists, garnered the title of “Melody Queen” and received numerous awards from literary and cultural organisations.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2022