It is impossible to include every patriotic song made in the name of Pakistan. Neither does every song deserve to be on the list, irrespective of its theme or artist. Some songs last forever. Others take on a seasonal form, appearing on special earmarked days and disappearing just as quickly. Given that, Instep selects 5 contemporary songs that remain as persistent as they were when first released.
Song: ‘Jazba Junoon’
Artist: Junoon
Special mention: ‘Chalta Mein Jaaon’ by Ali Azmat
The power of ‘Jazba Junoon’ is not to be underestimated. It may have appeared originally more than two decades ago but to this day, the spirit of the song lives on. The fact that it is a rock song never kept it from appealing to a huge audience, across class and demographics. You’d find a bouncer singing the song and dancing to the tune just as happily as the VIP guests; I witnessed such a sight at a concert in Karachi where the song was sung by Ali Azmat. It is also the backbone of cricket matches where the song is inevitably played. Now that Junoon is back together, they need not write any more patriotic songs for this one continues to shine at various spaces including political rallies and even schools where children know this song ahead of the dozens that have been made since then.
Special mention: ‘Chalta Mein Jaon’ by Ali Azmat, shot as a lucid dream by Guddu-Shaani, is the other side of this coin. If ‘Jazba Junoon’ celebrates Pakistan with vigorous hope, ‘Chalta Mein Jaon’ is subversive in its observation of how things stand. It captures a myopic nation and its confusions and feelings in a manner only Ali Azmat can. The late Haider Hashmi contributed to the song, reminding us that even when creative artists like him pass away, their musicianship stands.
Song: ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’
Artist: Vital Signs
Special mention: ‘Maula’
There is no question that to date, Pakistan’s single biggest patriotic song is ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ by pop heroes Vital Signs. The band drifted away after four albums, confessed Rohail Hyatt once, noting they never actually broke up. Even as the singer Junaid Jamshed, who shunned music, embraced religion and became the face of a clothing brand, has passed on, the song remains bigger than any one of its band members. It was a time to rejoice as Pakistan came out of the grip of a long dictatorship. With four young guys, exploring the sarzameen, the lyrical ingenuity, the absence of fear that has now become inherent and a tribute to Pakistan at a time when the country wasn’t as divided on ethnic, religious and socio-political lines, ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ appealed to all and still does, miraculously enough. It is in BBC’s top three songs of all time for a reason. Like ‘Jazba Junoon’, ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ is taught to children at school when they are participating in one form of the performing arts or the other and played at every occasion, from cricket matches to school functions to political jalsas (with or without the consent of the band members) and more.
Since releasing in 1989, ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ lives on, on the grounds of its pop musicianship, which was new to Pakistan then, the atmosphere the music video created, and the song that imagined a different Pakistan than what it is today.
Special Mention: ‘Maula’ by Vital Signs is an anomaly. You can’t surpass ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ of course but ‘Maula’ is the closest the Vital Signs came to another impeccable pop patriotic song. The sound here is a lot different and yet ‘Maula’ continues to remind you of how lucky you are to have a homeland even as it is marginalized. At a time when we’re seeing the most number of people from around the world and at home, displaced and taking on the name of refugees or IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), ‘Maula’ is an elegy of spiritual gratitude as well as a graceful tribute to having a homeland in the first place.
Song: ‘Jana Tha Hum Ne’
Artist: Noori
Special mention: ‘Aik Tha Badshah’
The music age was changing; Junoon was in the midst of breaking up as Noori emerged with a series of songs followed by concerts and TV appearances (we had dedicated music channels in the naughties). There are at least half a dozen songs you can pick from Noori’s three studio albums; songs that appear as patriotic, even though they are connected to cohesive, theme of the record. And yet, it is ‘Jana Tha Hum Ne’ from Noori’s debut album, Suno Ke Main Hoon Jawan, whose music video didn’t feature group member Ali Hamza but Farhad Humayun (on drums) and former member Mohd Ali Jaffri that has that calling. Humayun went on to form his own band before going solo, while Jaffri is bass player for Rushk now. In the music video though, this trio is featured as they sing and play amidst crowds, against Minar-e-Pakistan, as the camera pans to some of Pakistan’s architectural gems in Lahore. The lyrics of this song also play a strong role and have been written in a fashion that is still Noori’s biggest strength as songwriters. You can’t help but be moved by its energy, hope and candidness.
Special mention: ‘Aik Tha Badshah’ is the opposite of this song and yet – whether you enjoy the single version or album version more – this track, written by Ali Hamza, is pertinent at a time when independent media is struggling under the weight of the establishment. This song gives you hope that things will change and the pain around will not last forever.
Song: ‘Intehai Shauq’
Artist: Hadiqa Kiani
This has to be most underrated song by Hadiqa Kiyani. When ‘Intehai Shauq’ first arrived, it enamored the nation but in a time of regular singles related to how glorious Pakistan is, the dearth of music channels like Indus Music, and utter dedication to dramas as the only form of entertainment on television (along with cooking shows and morning shows), this glorious song with its anthemic feel, and symphony-esque musicianship as well as beautiful poetry has been forgotten to make room for the new. But some things don’t get older; they get better as you look back introspectively. ‘Intehai Shauq’ is certainly one such song.
Song: ‘Main Tou Dekhoonga’
Artist: Strings
Though they have songs like ‘Hai Koi Hum Jaisa’, beyond the world of cricket, it is this Bilal Maqsood-written track, ‘Main Tou Dekhoonga’ that is the most patriotic the pop band has to its credit. The lyrics are very simple but deep and hit the mark while the music video, directed by Jami, is a rare gem. What makes it stand out against many other releases, from other artists, is that the song admits to the deterioration of the homeland while enabling hope, saving us from a certain, darker despair. Bravo.
