LAHORE: The Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (Pilac) has this year decided to confer the Pride of Punjab Award in the music category on renowned folk singer Suraiya Multanikar.

A committee comprising 10 members after a meeting announced the award in connection with World Music Day celebrated every year all over the world on June 21. The institute management however refused to mention the names of committee members on the pretext that people may try to approach and influence them.

The Pride of Punjab Awards comprises Rs100,000 and a shield. It was initiated two years ago; previous winners include folk singers Shaukat Ali and Allah Ditta Lunaywala.

Suraiya Multanikar is a popular folk singer. To her credit she not only has folk songs, but also classical, semi-classical, ghazal and film songs. Some of her popular numbers that earned her fame are ‘Bare Be Murawwat Hain Yeh Husn Walay’ and ‘Kahin Dil Laganey Ki Koshish Na Karna’.

Pilac officials told Dawn the award would be presented to the singer at a grand ceremony after Ramazan. The ceremony would include a musical evening with Suraiya. Her daughter Rahat, who is a folk singer, is also expected to perform on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2016