Ali Zafar leads star-studded sold-out concert for flood relief in Lahore

WEB DESK: The Alhamra Cultural Complex echoed with music and emotion last Saturday as singer Ali Zafar brought together some of Pakistan’s leading artists for a sold-out benefit concert to raise funds for flood relief.

The event, organised by the Ali Zafar Foundation, was announced only days earlier, but tickets were snapped up a day before the show, reflecting the buzz surrounding the star-studded line-up.

Zafar opened the evening with a soulful rendition of Balaghal Ula Bi Kamalihi, before shifting gears to crowd favourites including Larsha Pekhawar Ta, Channo, Madhubala and Rangeen.

He was joined on stage by Arif Lohar, Aima Baig, Danyal Zafar, Ali Noor, Goher Mumtaz and Natasha Baig. All artists performed pro bono, with Zafar himself not only waiving his fee but also contributing to the Foundation to maximise proceeds for flood victims.

Ali Zafar to hold fundraising concert for flood affectees

The night reached its peak with a surprise finale, a powerful fusion of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s Dum Mast Qalandar. The collaboration drew a standing ovation and is already being described by attendees as one of the most memorable live performances in recent years.

Beyond the music, the concert also drew attention to the Foundation’s ongoing initiatives in women’s education and disaster relief. For many, the evening was more than entertainment — it was a reminder of the unifying power of art in times of crisis.

Flood crisis 2025

Pakistan has been reeling from weeks of heavy monsoon rains compounded by excess water released from Indian dams. Since late August, over 130 people have died in Punjab province alone, while nationwide, rain-related incidents since June have claimed more than 1,000 lives. The floods have inundated thousands of acres of farmland, displaced 2.5 million people and affected more than 4.5 million overall.

Yesterday, two Chinese relief flights carrying tents and blankets landed at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Air Base on Sunday to support Pakistan’s flood victims, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, calling the aid a symbol of Beijing’s solidarity in crisis.

Federal Minister Amir Muqam, NDMA Chairman Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik and Chinese Ambassador Jian Zaidong received the relief goods, which include 300 tents and 9,000 blankets. Muqam thanked China for its “prompt support,” noting the aid would provide immediate relief to families uprooted by the disaster.

The assistance follows Beijing’s earlier pledges of USD14 million in humanitarian items and USD2m in emergency aid. This year’s devastation has revived memories of the 2022 floods, when a third of Pakistan was submerged. Once again, the monsoon’s life-giving rains have turned into a destructive force.