AN unknown Sharafat Ali sang two songs for the 1957 hit Pakistani movie Wa’ada. The lyrics were written by Saif Uddin Saif and set to music by the great composer Rasheed Attre. A solo Jab tere shehr se guzarta hoon by Sharafat Ali and a duet with Kauser Parveen Baar baar barsein moray nain have remained tremendous hits till this day. I believe that credit for their massive popularity goes to the lyricist and the composer, who did a superb job.

Some musicologists, however, have always been of the view that the choice of Sharafat Ali to render those songs, was not the right one and someone already established as a film playback singer should have been selected. According to the grapevine, Sharafat was supposed to have been very close to the film’s producer, W. Z. Ahmed. It was he who asked Attre to compose for him despite the presence of tremor and tenor in his voice. Nevertheless, the matter is now history.

Recently, I happened to listen to Ustad Nafees Ahmad Khan from NAPA, who is currently the best sitar player of Pakistan and also has a flare for singing. Nafees’ sang Jab tere shehr se guzarta hoon in his mellifluous and flawless voice, was a treat to listen.

I request Radio Pakistan to record this song again in the voice of Ustad Nafees for the listening pleasure of thousands of its lovers.

Parvez Rahim
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2020