Tabla player Hashmat Khan dies in Peshawar at 56

Noted tabla player Hashmat Khan died of renal failure in Peshawar on Thursday. He was 56.

He was suffering from acute kidney renal disease and remained under treatment for quite some time. He breathed his last in a local health facility.

He was laid to rest in the Naw Kallay graveyard of Peshtakhara the same day. Local artists, friends and fans attended his funeral prayers. He left behind two sons, three daughters and a widow to mourn his death.

Hashmat Khan was born in Akakhel Mera area of Khyber tribal district in 1966. Since early childhood, he had penchant for rhythmical music and soon he learnt tabla playing.

He was included in Radio Pakistan Peshawar orchestra followed by PTV Peshawar centre where he contributed for over three decades in numerous memorable compositions. He also represented Pakistan in Afghanistan and Gulf countries on several occasions.

The artist had performed with many notable folk singers and instrumentalists and had garnered fame and name for his unique beat count on tabla.

Originally published in Dawn, February 4th, 2022