Ghazal maestro Mehdi Hassan battling illness

Karachi, Feb 8(ANI): Legendary Pakistani Ghazal singer Mehdi Hasan, 84, has been battling infections and undergoing treatment for the same in Karachi.

His son Arif Mehdi said Hasan was not well, as he was hospitalised twice during the last couple of weeks.

"Three days back he was taken to home from Aga Khan Hospital, while last time he was taken to the emergency of Aga Khan Hospital on January 30th, where doctors declared that he was suffering from urine and chest infections," The Nation quoted Arif, as saying.

Mehdi Hassan, who also sang for Lollywood, had to step down from playback singing due to his severe illness in the late 80s. Later, his deteriorating health condition compelled him to depart completely from music.

Arif said that his father was not allowed by his physicians to speak to the media, as he was not in a position to talk freely.

Mehdi Hassan claims to be the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians. He received his musical grooming from his father Ustad Azeem Khan and uncle Ustad Ismail Khan, both of whom were traditional Dhrupad singers.

Mehdi Hassan has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions: the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz granted to him by General Ayub Khan; the Pride of Performance bestowed on him by General Ziaul Haq and the Hilal-i-Imtiaz conferred by General Pervez Musharraf.

Besides the Nigar Film and Graduate Awards from Pakistan, he was presented the Saigal Award in Jalandhar, India, in 1979 and the Gorkha Dakshina Bahu Award in Nepal in 1983. (ANI)