Musician Haniya Aslam, of Zeb and Haniya musical duo, dies

One of the musicians of the Zeb and Haniya musical duo, Haniya Aslam, has passed away reportedly as a result of a cardiac arrest.

Haniya’s musical partner and cousin, Zeb Bangash, in a post on Instagram, shared her photographs, captioning them “Hanini”.

The deceased musician, who was also an exceptional guitarist, was considered one of the finest in the country, working alongside her cousin on numerous melodious compositions as part of their band.

In 2014, Haniya moved to Canada to pursue a solo music career and learn more about the art.

The band, Zeb and Haniya, was also popular for their beloved tracks ‘Paimona’, ‘Chal Diye’ and Chup in Coke Studio Pakistan’s Season 2, while their upbeat number ‘Bibi Sanam’ was reflective of their versatile talent.

Haniya also worked as a sound engineer for ‘Lala Begum’, a Pakistani short film produced in 2016. She also produced music for ‘Dobara Phir Se’, a 2016 Pakistani romantic film.

The musician also co-authored one of the very few books about Pakistan’s contemporary youth music.

The musician’s sudden death comes as a shock to her friends, acquaintances and fans, not only in Pakistan but also across the border.

Swanand Kirkire, Indian lyricist and playback singer, took to X — formerly Twitter — to mourn the loss of his “dear friend”.

“My dear friend Haniya Aslam ( from Zeb and Haniya ) has left us. She had a cardiac arrest. Rest in peace dear Haniya,” the musician wrote.

Fasi Zaka — a Pakistani commentator, columnist and radio jockey — also expressed his sorrow at the loss on X.

“Haniya Aslam passes away. What a talented musician and kind soul. May she Rest in Peace. Truly saddening.”