Pakistan: RIP Ghazal Legend Mehdi Hassan · Global Voices
Omid Bidar

Mehdi Hassan Khan also famously known as the ‘King of Ghazal’ passed away on Wednesday, 13, June, 2012 after a protracted illness, in a local hospital in Karachi city of Pakistan. The 84 years old Ghazal Singer was suffering from illness for the past 12 years.
After his death ‘#MehdiHassan’ had been trending on Twitter across Pakistan and India. Hundreds of his fan including popular singers, famous celebrities and politicians shared their condolences and tribute to the legendary singer. His fans are also sharing his hit Ghazals in social networks.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (@PMOIndia) writes in Twitter sharing his deep grief:
@PMOIndia: The influence of his passion for Urdu poetry and early grooming in Dhrupad tradition earned for him a special place in the world of music.
Popular Indain actor Shahrukh Khan (@imsrk) tweets about his memories from the famous Gahzal singer:
@imsrk: memories of my mom cooking in a grimy kitchen as it rained outside, while mehdi hassan floated out of a Beltek 2 in 1 (cassette player).
Screenshot from the video : Roz kehta hoon bhool jaon by KhurramDBG
Singer Lata Mangeshkar offered her condolence to Mehdi Hassan's family talking to the media and said that his demise is a great loss to music industry.
Asif Noorani in Dawn blog says:
Mehdi Hassan is dead, but I am not sad. Don’t curse me when I say I am relieved, for death has brought an end to his decade-long suffering. Watching him lie helpless and speechless, afflicted by so many ailments, not to speak of bedsores, was a heart-wrenching experience.
Adil Omar (@Adil_Omar) tweets:
@Adil_Omar:I won't pretend that I listened to his music, but I was well aware of his status and impact. RIP Mehdi Hassan
Singer Talat Aziz, who was trained by Mehdi Hassan describes how he feels:
I feel a tremendous personal sense of loss. I was his ‘shagird’ (apprentice), I spent a lot of time with him. For me he was a star. I don't have words to describe his loss. He was a great asset to the world of Ghazal. Though he was not singing for quite sometime, but he will be missed. There will never be another Mehdi Hassan.
Please check out Fawad's tribute to Mehdi Hassan, whom he terms as one of the greatest sub-continental singers of the post-partition era.