'Hum Sab Ka Pakistan' - a gift to the nation by the Christian community
Gill says the production company aimed to highlight the 'good image' of Pakistan. Photo: Screengrab
By Abdullah Zafar
In a video that went viral on social media, singers from the Christian community came together to sing a medley of patriotic songs early in August when the country was gearing up to celebrate its 70th Independence Day.
The medley, titled ‘Hum Sab Ka Pakistan’, comprises three classic patriotic songs, including Mehdi Hasan’s ‘Yeh Watan Tumhara Hay’, ‘Hum Zinda Qaum Hain’ - that originally featured Amjad Hussain, Tehseen Javed, Benjamin Sisters and Fatima Jaffri, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s 1999 hit ‘Mera Paigham Pakistan’.
Photo: Screengrab
In an interview with Dunya News, Imran Akhtar of Gill’s Production spoke of the concept behind the video. Gill says the production company aimed to highlight the good image of Pakistan. While quoting Jinnah, he said the country belonged to minorities as much as it did to the Muslim majority.
“Since its inception, we have contributed to the country as much as any other community. National heroes who belong to different communities, inspired us to pay a tribute to our nation”, Akhtar said.
“We the Christians in Pakistan are as Pakistani as anyone else. And our struggle for a separate homeland started along with the Muslims in 1947. This exclusive song highlighting minorities in Pakistan should be seen as a patriotic effort from a minority community to cherish the Independence Day.”
Facebook users have appreciated the effort since the video was posted online. “This song will leave you teary eyed,” wrote one user. Another user residing abroad expressed how much the song made him miss his motherland.
“I love how there are quotes from Mr. Jinnah’s speeches in the video. It is something quite original and suddenly makes you realise the status of the Christian community in Pakistan, and that despite facing so many attacks, they have the same patriotic spirit as any other Pakistani does,” he wrote.
The medley is produced by Australia-based Gill’s Production. Akash Sonu has arranged the music. Qaiser Khalid has directed and edited the video, while it features Javed Akhtar, Mehboob Gill, Rosemary Mushtaq, Haris Bazmi, Saman Haris, Anita Samuel, Robin Gosh, Qaiser Chauhan, Arif Bazmi, Sana Yousaf, and Anjum Pervaiz, who are professional singers and have previously performed in church choirs.
The project ‘Hum Sab Ka Pakistan’ received an overwhelming response and the video crossed a million views within a couple of days of being posted online.
Photo: Screengrab
When the variety of reactions to the video was highlighted, the artistes said that the most devastating element plaguing the society was the divisibility based on communities, sects and ethnic groups.
They staunchly believe that they, in their own way, have been successful in overcoming the differences being created among communities, by speaking about inclusiveness in the month of freedom. “This was just a sincere effort to show solidarity with the country” said Akhtar.
“It takes different communities to form a nation, and this video is a gift to my nation from my community – a fraternity that serves best to Pakistan whenever it comes to education, health, defence, charity, and even eradicating Leprosy,” he said. “And a fraternity which never moans for all that was taken away from it.”
