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Ghazal singer Tahira Syed addressed rumours of her passing on Monday with a video message shared on Facebook, saying the reports were false and she was “absolutely fine”.

She also posted a note on the subject thanking her friends, family and well-wishers, asking them not to share unverified information about her.

Rumours circulating on the internet claimed Syed had died, with fans grieving the loss of a titan of Pakistani music. Naturally, when they reached the singer herself, she addressed the situation by talking to her fans personally.

“I have come to know that rumours are being spread about my health. I am absolutely fine, by the grace of God. I am living a really good life in New York. Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes,” Syed said.

The written statement read, “I have come to learn that false reports of my passing are being circulated on social media. These are not true. Alhamdulillah, I am alive, well and in good health. I request everyone not to share this false news and to help correct the misinformation wherever it appears. Thank you.”

She wrote she was “deeply touched by the concern, kindness, and affection shown by the many people who reached out to me after seeing these reports”.

Designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin also helped dispel the rumours by posting a picture of the singer and saying she was “alive, well and in good health”. Bushra Ansari posted Syed’s video message to her own account.

The internet occasionally likes to kill people off before their time. Most recently, Indian actor Dharmendra was declared dead by Indian media during a hospitalisation in November. He was alive and passed away a couple of weeks later.

In Pakistan, actor Sakina Samo was rumoured to have succumbed to Covid-19 at the height of the 2020 pandemic. She is still alive and well, having recovered from the virus after a stint of self-isolation.