Artistes from Pakistan performing at the concert at Al Wakrah Stadium yesterday. (Pics: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula)
DOHA: Lights, colours, music and zealous participation of the crowd through dancing to the beats constituted the Eid gala of Pakistani community at Al Wakrah Stadium yesterday.
On the first day of Eid Al-Adha, the community celebrated the festival with a concert organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar Shahzad Ahmad and Col Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah, Director, Public Relations at the ministry, were present, along with a large number of community members.
Artistes from Pakistan with their marvellous performance enthralled the fans who celebrated the festival away from their kith and kin.
More than 3,000 people attended the event and hundreds were waiting outside the auditorium.
All participants celebrating Eid were apparently immersed in happiness and joy but in the back of their minds rested homesickness.
“Definitely nothing can beat the Eid one spends with his family and kids… but this event has somewhat made us forget our pain and homesickness,” said Zamurd Khan from Peshawar who is a cab driver in Qatar.
Singer Maria was visiting Qatar for the first time. “I have performed in Bahrain but it is my first live concert in Qatar,” she told The Peninsula.
With a six-year singing background, Maria performs in Urdu and Pashto. In the past, she also tested her mettle in acting. “I started my showbiz career with Pakistan Television as an actress and then switched to singing,” she said.
The concert was an open feast for all and present were nationals from other Asian countries.
Haseebur Rehman from Bangladesh was at the event with a friend from Pakistan. “I cannot understand Pashto, but I am enjoying the concert,” he said. Another singer Rizwana Khan was from Islamabad. With a masters’ degree in political science, she selected the career of singing and sings very well and that too in languages, including Pasthto, Urdu, Seraiki, Punjabi and Potohari, among others. Rizwana trained under Ustab Fateh Ali Khan.
Waheed Achakzai, a prominent Pashto singer from Pakistan also performed. His performance thrilled the audience, prompting them to dance in traditional Pashto style. “I have composed some new songs for this event. I am performing for the second time in Qatar… the love I get from this crowd is matchless,” he said.
Janan Bngash, leader of Pakistani community and the man behind the show, said he was happy with organising such a splendid concert.
“We are thankful to the ministry for granting permission and allocating space,” he said, adding he would continue organising such functions in future.
