Coke Studio Pakistan fame Akhtar Chanal Zahri mesmerised leaders at SCO Summit
Akhtar Chanal Zahri and his son Khalil Ahmed
While the focus was on hectic conversations and what leaders said at this year's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, the culture of the member countries got attention at the concert. Coke Studio Pakistan fame and Baloch folk singer Akhtar Chanal Zahri, along with India's flute player Ronu Majumdar, stole everyone's attention with magical performances.
Akhtar Chanal Zahri, whose Coke Studio song 'Daanah Pah Daanah' got more than 16 million hits on YouTube, spoke to WION in Bishkek and said, "I am happy to be here... I represented Pakistan at the SCO".
On India-Pakistan ties, he said, "My message is, we should be good neighbours. India is our hamsaya mulk (close neighbour) and it should also remain evergreen. We should be friends".
"These two countries are like brothers," Zahri added.
During the gala concert on Thursday, all leaders of the SCO states - India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan - were present.
Zahri has worked for Bollywood as well and has sung for movies like 'Mirzya'. He shared anecdotes of how he was invited for tea by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. He also once sang in front of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he visited Islamabad in 2004 to attend the 12th SAARC Summit.
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This wasn't the first time when Zahri was representing Pakistan at any international platform. In the past, he travelled with former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto to England.
Talking about the Hindu heritage in Pakistan's Balochistan, he said "we have a Kali temple in Kalat; Mahadev temple in Mastung and Pani Nath temple... Hinglaj Mata mandir... I have performed at Hinglaj temple".
Thursday's concert at the SCO Summit saw India's cultural presentation in famous Bengali and Bollywood numbers.