Dhol legend 'Pappu Sain' passes away in Lahore

Renowned drummer Pappu Sain passed away in Lahore on Sunday following a prolonged illness.

The dhol maestro, Zulfiqar Ali, was suffering from liver cancer and had been admitted to the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institute (PKLI) for almost a month. The Punjab government had last month provided Rs200,000 financial assistance to him after the family sought help from the government.

The artist was laid to rest at Mai Sahiba’s shrine at his ancestral Chak Juhmra village, while his Qul will be held on Monday at his residence near Lahore’s Shalamar Gardens, it was reported on Monday.

Pappu Sain, a recipient of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, had fans all over the world and also performed at several international venues, including in the UK, US, Canada, UAE, Sweden and Germany.

A staunch follower of the Sufi tradition, the drummer never played commercial beats during his performances spanning almost four decades.