# Abrar-ul-Haq

Abrar-ul-Haq (Punjabi: ابرار الحق) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and a politician.
His debut 1995 album Billo De Ghar sold over 40.3 million albums worldwide, which made him a household name and granted him the title of "King of Pakistani pop".
Abrar-ul-Haq is the founder and chairman of Sahara for Life Trust, a private organization that has been providing health services to the people of Narowal and surrounding areas since 1998. He was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's candidate for the seat of National Assembly from constituency NA-78 (Narowal-II) in the 2018 Pakistani general election.

## Early life and education

Abrar-ul-Haq was born in Faisalabad, Punjab to a civil servant father, and is the youngest among eight siblings. He belongs to Punjabi Jat family of the Kahlon clan and his elder brother Major (r) Israr-ul-Haq Kahlon is an active politician in Narowal.
He was initially educated at the Junior Model School, Gujrat later graduating from the Sir Syed College, Rawalpindi before getting his Master's degree in social sciences from the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

## Academic career

Abrar-ul-Haq served as a teacher in Aitchison College, Lahore for a brief period of time but quit the faculty when he opted for a music career.

## Music career

His first album as singer was Billo De Ghar, which was released in 1995.

### Controversies

Abrar-ul-Haq's songs have been a subject of controversy in Pakistan. After the release of the hit song Billo De Ghar in 1995, Urdu newspapers began quoting Islamic scholars of Lahore who were of the opinion that the song was describing a man falling in love with a prostitute and wanting to marry her. Upon the formation of Nawaz Sharif's PML-N majority government after the 1997 election, the song was banned from state-owned TV and radio channels.
In the early 2000s, his song Nach Punjaban was met with opposition from those who thought the casual use of the word Punjaban was a demeaning way to address Punjabi women, eventually resulting in Abrar-ul-Haq re-recording a version of the song using the word Majajan instead.
In 2007, the Supreme Court of Pakistan summoned the singer for an explanation of the song Parveen from the album Nara Sada Ishq Aye, alleging that it used the name Parveen in a derogatory manner that would hurt the sentiments of society.
In 2019, his song Chamkeeli was the subject of a claim in a civil court in Lahore, with the courts requesting that the song be banned and removed from YouTube, alleging that it was humiliating and insulting to both men and women.

## Philanthropy
### Sahara for Life Trust

Abrar-ul-Haq is the Founder and Chairman of Sahara for Life Trust (SLT), a post he has held since its inception in 1998. SLT is a private organization promoting health and education in remote areas. SAHARA stands for: "Services Aimed at Health and Awakening in Remote Areas". SLT is recognized and registered as a leading charitable organization in Pakistan, the U.K, and the U.S. It is also certified by the Pakistan Center for Philanthropy (PCP) and the U.N. (under the charter of DESA). SLT has been involved in numerous relief and rehabilitation efforts over the years. In 2003, SLT established its first large-scale general hospital in Narowal, Pakistan. The Sughra Shafi Medical Hospital Complex is a PMDC-certified general hospital that provides a wide range of healthcare services to the people of Narowal and its surrounding areas. The location of this hospital also reduced the travel time for patients in critical condition who were unable to travel to major cities in a timely manner, thus saving lives.

### Niaz Support social enterprise

In 2023, he was appointed the global goodwill ambassador of Niaz Support. This is a social enterprise in Pakistan that provides customized wheelchairs to people with disabilities. It also involves them in the manufacturing process, creating employment opportunities for them

## Political career
### Youth Parliament of Pakistan

In 2006, he founded the Youth Parliament of Pakistan (YPP), a non-profit, non-political, and non-religious program.

### Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (2011-2023)

In December 2011 Abrar-ul-Haq joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
In 2012, he was appointed as President of the Youth Wing of PTI. In 2013, he was appointed as PTI's Secretary of Foreign Affairs.
He ran for a seat on the National Assembly as PTI's Candidate for Constituency NA-117 (Narowal-III) in the 2013 Pakistani general elections receiving 51,359 votes and lost to PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal.
He was again nominated as PTI's Candidate for National Assembly Constituency NA-78 (Narowal-II) for the 2018 Pakistani general elections but received 88,250 votes and lost to PML-N's Ahsan Iqbal.
On 15 November 2019, he was appointed Pakistan Red Crescent Society's 16th chairman and assumed office on 27 December 2019.
In 2023, he left the PTI and quit politics following the controversy surrounding the May 9 riots.

## Discography
### Albums

| Year | Title | Label |
| 1995 | Billo De Ghar | |
| 1998 | Majajani | Sound Master |
| 1999 | Bay Ja Cycle Te | Sound Master |
| 2000 | Mein Gaddi Aap Chalawan Ga | Sound Master |
| 2002 | Assan Jana Mall-o Mall | DJ Gold |
| 2004 | Nachan Main Audhay Naal | TP Gold |
| 2007 | Nara Sada Ishq Aye | Fire Records |
| 2013 | Sab Rang Aap (Pbuh) Se | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2016 | Billo Returns Aithay Rakh | ARY Musik |

### Studio releases

| Year | Title | Label |
| 2006 | Collaborations with Gurdas Maan & Sukshinder Shinda | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2008 | Sar Jalayn Gay Roshani Hogee | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2009 | Awain Na Kar Zulm Ke Ik Din Muk Jana | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2010 | Sar Utha Ke | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2011 | Ki Karan Day O with Shahzaman and Jawad Kahlon | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2011 | Sohniye-Heeriye with Bhinda Aujla (film: Love Mein Ghum) | Reema Khan Film |
| 2011 | Ishqe Da Rang, music by Prince Ghuman | Speed Records and Inda Raikoti |
| 2013 | Hogya Ni Piyar with Suman, music by Khiza | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2013 | Pani Da Bulbula (film: Zinda Bhaag) | Mazhar Zaidi Production |
| 2013 | Ishq Di Booti | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 6) |
| 2014 | Allah Hu with Saieen Zahoor | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 6) |
| 2014 | Ithy Rakh with Sukshinder Shinda (Album:Collaborations 3) | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2014 | Pani Da Bulbula | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 7) |
| 2016 | Qaseeda Burda Shareef | Peace Records |
| 2016 | Bekarar with Farhan NTF | VIP Records |
| 2017 | Facebook Utte, music by DJ Sanj | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2018 | Hum Dekhenge (promo song ft. several artists) | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 11) |
| 2018 | Mere Rashke Qamar, music by Asif Khan | Moviebox Record Label |
| 2018 | Ballay Ballay with Aima Baig | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 11) |
| 2019 | Diamond Ring ft. Arbaz Khan | Beyond Records |
| 2019 | Rahiya Sohneya | Akhrot Film |
| 2019 | Bhabhi with Shipra Goyal and Jaidev Kumar (film: Ishq My Religion) | Gurdeep Dhillon Films |
| 2019 | Billo | Coke Studio Pakistan (season 12) |
| 2019 | Chamkeeli | Independent Record Label |
| 2020 | Paar with Bohemia | Kali Denali Music |
| 2020 | Udaasi Ki Raatain – Tribute to Kashmir | Independent Record Label |
| 2021 | Sun Lay Tu | Independent Record Label |
| 2021 | Bol Qalandar | Independent Record Label |
| 2021 | Ho Idhr Bi Nazar E Karam Ya Rasul Allah | Independent Record Label |
| 2021 | Begum Shak Karti Hai | Independent Record Label |
| 2022 | Punjab Culture Song | Independent Record Label |
| 2022 | Imported Hakoomat Song | Independent Record Label |
| 2022 | Pardesi Zindabad | UBL Roshan Digital |
| 2022 | Hai Haq Hamara Azaadi - PTI Anthem | Independent Record Label |

### Television

| Year | Program | Role | Channel |
| 2004 | Music Show: Star Host | Himself/host | ATV |
| 2015 | Ramzan Transmission: Mohabbat Hai Ramzan | Himself/host | A-Plus TV |
| 2016–17 | Talk Show: Darja-e-Shararat | Himself/host | Samaa TV |

### TEDx Talks

| Date | Topic | Venue | Location |
| 2019 | Developing Free Healthcare | TEDx Talks – TMUC | Islamabad, Pakistan |
| 2019 | Youth in a Nation Building Process | TEDx Talks – Bahria University | Islamabad, Pakistan |

## Honours and recognition

* Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) received from the President of Pakistan on 23 March 2005, for public service / music / philanthropy.
* Sitara-e-Eisaar received from the President of Pakistan on 30 June 2006, for outstanding humanitarian relief work during the 8 October 2005 devastating earthquake in Pakistan.
* Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – Appointed Humanitarian Ambassador of the OIC on 11 January 2011.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Award ceremony | Result |
| 2000 | PTV Awards | Folk singer | PTV World | Won |
| 2002 | Lux Style Award Best Singer 2002 | Best Singer | 1st Lux Style Awards | Won |
| 2003 | Lux Style Award Best Singer 2003 | Best Singer | 2nd Lux Style Awards | Won |
| 2004 | PTV Awards | Six years consecutive award holder for best pop singer | PTV Home | Won |
| 2018 | Lux Style Award Best Dress Male | Best Dress (Male) | 17th Lux Style Awards | Won |