Staff Report
KARACHI: A big n name in Pakistan’s folk music for his unique style of singing, Alam Lohar is being remembered on his death anniversary today (Tuesday).

Alam Lohar was born in the small village of Aach Goach in Gujrat District in Punjab into a family of blacksmiths.

Alam Lohar developed a new style of singing the Punjabi Vaar, an epic or folk tale. He is famous for his rendition of Waris Shah’s Heer, which he has memorized in 36 styles and forms. He recorded his first album at the age of 13 and outsold all other singers in Pakistan in the 1970s.

It was the Queen's Jubilee event in the UK and there was a singing competition between all Commonwealth countries and after all performances Alam Lohar won the award as the best performance and  was handed a gold medal for his unique and God-given voice.

In many rural villages the local traditional people have called him 'Sher-e-Punjab' or 'Heerah' meaning diamond.

His famous compositions are Dharti Panj Daryavan Di, Saiful Malook, Jugni, Mirza, Qissa Sohni Mahiwal, Sassi Pannu. Alam

Lohar died in an accident near Sham ki Bhaitiyan on July 3, 1979. He was given the Pride of Performance award in 1979 by General Zia Ul Haq in Islamabad and received numerous other awards within his lifetime. SAMAA