Amjad Sabri, a famed Pakistani Qawwal, shot dead in Karachi

Renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri, who was known for More Haji Piya, was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen in Karachi, Pakistan on 22 June 2016.

Sabri, 45, was killed while travelling with an associate in a car in Karachi's Liquatabad area.

Popularly known as Rock Star of Qawwali due to his modern style of rendition, he was one of the best Sufi musicians and qawwals from Pakistan. Sufism is a mystical sect of Islam that is viewed as heretical by hard-line groups such as the Taliban.

He was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri of 'Bhar Do Jholi Meri' fame. The Sabri family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to sufi art and mystic poetry.

Memorable Qawwalis Sung by Amjad Sabri Bhar do jholi meri: The song was first performed in 1975 by Sabri Brothers, Maqbool and Ghulam Sabri). In 2015 this song came into trouble for copyright infringement after it was sung as a qawwali by Adnan Sami in 2015 in Kabir Khan’s film Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

More Haji Piya – was performed as a qawwali in Rajkumar Santoshi’s 2008 film Halla Bol.

Tajdar-e-haram
Mera koi nahin hai tere siwa
Khwaja kI Diwani
Ali Mera Dil, Meri Hjaan Ali and many more…

Earlier in May 2014, he was served a notice by the Islamabad High Court to respond to blasphemy charges for the broadcast of a controversial song-and-dance routine that was set to a qawwali piece about the wedding of the Prophet Mohammed’s daughter to his cousin.

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