The 59-year-old singer, admitted to a Gulberg hospital, is suffering from high blood pressure, general weakness and a sore intestine.
Prior to her current illness, Reshma was admitted to a hospital in London, a couple of weeks ago, for the same reasons. Her condition is improving.
Talking to Dawn on Thursday, Reshma said in 80s during an Aug 14 performance in the US, blood started oozing out from her nose. She was taken to hospital where doctors, after certain tests, told her that she had cancer. However, she said she got recovered under quality treatment, medication and above all by the mercy of Allah Almighty.
The singer said Gen Musharraf was ‘a true friend of artistes’, adding that after Auyb Khan the general was the only ruler of the country who had given artistes due respect.
“General Sahib gave me a lot of respect and financial support,” Reshma said with a broad smile. She said Gen Musharraf had fixed a Rs10,000 monthly stipend for her, besides giving her Rs1 million to pay off her bank loan.
She said on her request, the president ordered allotment of a residential plot to her in Islamabad, but his staff somehow or other did not help her in this regard.
Reshma, who got the Pride of Performance, thanked the government for conferring upon her Sitara-i-Imtiaz which was given to her on Aug 14, 2007.
For Gen Musharaf, Reshma recited an urdu verse;
Jab tak bikay na thay to koie phuchta na tha,
Tum nay Mujhay Kharid kay anmol ker diya.
She appealed to Gen Musharraf that he should help her in the completion of the mosque she had been trying to build for the last five years near Shahdara.
She said among her favorite Punjabi songs sung by her was: “Rabba Nahi Lagda Dil Mera, Sajna Baad hoya Hanera”.
Reshma belongs to a Rajhastani tribe of gypsies. Her voice was discovered by Saleem Gillani who was then Karachi radio station director. Mr Gillani heard her singing at the Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar at Sehwan when she came there with a group of gypsies to pay a tribute to the saint.
Her song ‘Lambi Judai’ in Indian film ‘Hero’ earned her immense popularity.
