Dawn Images

It was the 100th birth anniversary of one of Pakistan’s most iconic singers — Noor Jehan, the ‘Queen of Melody’ — on Monday and the mood was… muted.

There were no special programmes on TV, no official tribute from the government, not even a poster in Lahore’s Liberty Market, that’s what her grandson, actor Ahmed Ali Butt said on Instagram on Wednesday, when he complained about how Pakistan doesn’t do enough to honour its artists.

Addressing his late grandmother, Butt said, “If it weren’t for your songs that people still listen to… the state would have forgotten you yesterday.”

The actor claimed Pakistan had never given its legends their due by neglecting to document their work, hijacking their copyrights and by “making sure the artist and their legacy are never protected”.

“It’s a shame how we have forgotten our own identity and culture and the people who contributed their lives to it,” Butt said.

Other countries, he said, celebrated the achievements of their stars by making films on them and teaching their work to the next generation. In contrast, “it’s sad and heartbreaking to see Pakistan losing its own identity”.

The truth is, it was genuinely surprising to see the lack of celebration on Noor Jehan’s 100th birthday, especially considering her massive contributions to music in Pakistan.

Born on September 21, 1926 in Punjab’s Kasur, she had her start in show business as a singer and actor in the 1930s. Her six-decade career saw her record over 10,000 songs in Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi.

Noor Jehan’s patriotic anthems, sung in the 1960s, continue to form a part of Pakistan’s national identity, especially when it comes to honouring the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for the country.

The singer’s repertoire was diverse. She could really sing anything — be it uplifting anthems, ballads or romantic songs. Much of the songs she lent her voice to ended up as evergreen classics.

Find Images’ list of some of her best songs here.