Veteran Pashto folk singer Moin Ali dies at 80

Veteran Pashto folk singer, Moin Ali passed away in a hospital in Rawalpindi, his family members confirmed on Friday.

Owing to multiple health complications, he died in a Rawalpindi hospital and was later laid to rest in a locality dominated by Pashtun community the same day. Local residents and artists attended his funeral prayers.

The deceased left behind four sons, three daughters and a widow to mourn his death. He hailed from Kohat district, but had migrated to Rawalpindi on his return from Qatar after spending about 35 years there.

Moin Ali had launched his singing career from Radio Pakistan Peshawar with a Pashto folk song when he was in his 20s, and his maiden Pashto song shot him to unprecedented fame and widespread popularity.

Though he did not come from a music family, he was still gifted with a velvety voice. He was born with a natural penchant for Pashto music. He had sung many Pashto poets but singing folk songs remained his forte.

He remained affiliated with Radio Pakistan Peshawar, PTV Peshawar and several Pashto private channels for over 60 years.

Recipient of over 200 awards, about 300 albums are to his credit. He had large Pakhtun fan following in Afghanistan, Gulf countries, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Fans of the veteran singer took to social media condoling death of the octogenarian artist.

Originally published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2022