Veteran Pakistani singer Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi has spoken warmly about former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan in a YouTube interview with journalist Irshad Bhatti, saying that he finds it difficult to limit his praise to just a few qualities and has personally never witnessed any shortcoming in him.
When asked about a lasting memory of Imran Khan, Attaullah recalled the extraordinary public response wherever Khan went.
“Wherever he went, people gave him so much love and support. He received huge donations everywhere, and it always felt surprising to see how much people admired and trusted him,” he recalled.
Asked to name three of Imran’s virtues, the singer said that the task felt too limiting. “If you ask me to mention just three qualities of Imran Khan, it is actually difficult because he has many good ones,” he said, adding that among them, Khan is a beautiful person.
When the interviewer then asked him to name three flaws, Attaullah was equally direct. “I personally have not seen any,” he said.
Attaullah Khan is one of Pakistan’s most celebrated folk singers, widely known for his Saraiki and Punjabi music. He began his career at Radio Pakistan Bahawalpur in 1972 and rose to national recognition through PTV’s iconic show Neelam Ghar in 1973.
The Government of Pakistan awarded him the Pride of Performance in 1991, and in 1994 the Guinness Book of World Records recognised him for his record-breaking volume of recorded songs. He has had a long association with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), having sung songs in support of the party including “Banay Ga Naya Pakistan” and “Jab Aye Ga Imran.”
