With a mix of classical notes and innovative Qawaali rendition style, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan enlivened Pakistani embassy’s celebration of the Independence Day Tuesday.
Besides Pakistani-Americans, U.S. diplomats including senior State Department official for South Asia Ms. Alice Wells, also enjoyed the maestro’s performance under splashing green lights, and amid ecstatic applause from the attendees.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States Ali Jehangir Siddiqui decorated the Khan with the first Pakistan Embassy Excellence Award.
Khan, nephew of late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, has a string of popular numbers to his record and is in high demand in several parts of the world as thee top exponent of thee Qawaali. He performed at the embassy on Pakistan Day without any monetary compensation for his time.
The importance of U.S.-Pakistan relations – which suffered a spate of setbacks this year – was very much on display as well.
Ambassador Siddiqui recalled how the two countries have had close relationships over the decades.
Photo: Pakistan Embassy
Ambassador Alice Wells congratulated the Pakistanis on the Independence Day and looked forward to working with incoming Imran Khan government on cooperation in areas of common interest.
She said Washington looks to Pakistan taking lead on pushing efforts for peace in Afghanistan, where the U.S. has been military engaged since late 2001, soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Ms. Wells also acknowledged Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terror.
The U.S. diplomat, who has been leading talks with Pakistani counterparts on advancing bilateral cooperation in the fight against terror, praise Ambassador Siddiqui’s vibrant engagement towards that end during his assignment in Washington D.C.
Earlier, Deputy Chief of the Mission, Rizwan Sheikh, welcomed the gathering to the Pakistani embassy and introduced them to the Qawaali, a music genre, improvised and popularized by music genius Amir Khusroo, Sufi mystics, and generations of Qawaals – the Qawaali singers – in South Asian parts of Pakistan and India with their ecstatic rendition of poetry.
In New York, Pakistan House hosted an Independence Day event to celebrate the occasion, with Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi highlighting the country’s democratic consolidation resulting from the recent elections.
A large Pakistani flag marked the Independence Day at the NYC’s Times Square.
“The successful conclusion of general elections once again showed the commitment of the Pakistani people to strengthening democracy,” she told a large gathering after hoisting Pakistan’s green crescent-and-star, as the national anthem was played.
