ISLAMABAD: Renowned Pakistani Qawwal Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan hasannounced that he will hold 100 Qawwal mehfils [gatherings] across theglobe in 2018.

The singer, who is the nephew of the Qawwal maestro Ustad Nusrat Fateh AliKhan, shared his plans to celebrate 2018 as the year of Qawwali.

“I am basically a Qawwal and the poetry of the Sufi’s runs in my veins.Qawwali is at the heart of our family traditions and my ancestors haveworked hard to develop this genre of music and introduce it to the world.”

“Qawwali and I are inseparable. It runs in my blood. Whatever I amperforming, Qawwali is always at the heart of it. Qawwali gives me theunique edge in all the music that I do.”

Shedding some light on his uncle’s talent, Khan said: “The world of musichas not seen a Qawwal that is parallel to Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Heglorified the art of Qawwali and took the art to international audiences.

He won many awards and accolades for his performances.”The 100 concertsseek to pay a tribute to the lasting legacy of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

The shows will be held in different countries such as US, Canada, UK, UAE,Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Morocco, South Africa, Kenya,Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

“2018 will be celebrated as the year of the Qawali,” shared PME’s SalmanAhmed — the promoter of Rahat Fateh Ali’s concert tours at the pressconference. “

The Qawalis of the famous poets and saints for the subcontinent will bebrought back to life.”

Ahmed remarked that the listeners have been seeking good Qawwali for sometime and it is popular across all age groups.