From the Dawn.com archives

In the spirit if celebrating Independence Day, Dawn.com decided to look into the history of patriotic music in Pakistan and how it’s changed over the years.

Patriotic songs have always held a special place in the heart of Pakistanis. From songs such as ‘Ai Watan’ to “Dil Dil Pakistan’, these songs have almost always reflected the zeitgeist of the country.

We spoke to some of the people who made this music. Here’s what they had to say.

– Video by Zehra Naqvi/Dawn.com , Salman Haqqi /Dawn.com and Kurt Menezes/Dawn.com