"I can't sing it because I'm afraid."
It has transpired that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan refused to sing a tribute song.
Sahir Ali Bagga made a recent appearance on Samaa TV’s show Coffee with Samaa, hosted by Naeem Hanif and Bushra Khan.
During the discussion, he shared the story behind his ISPR song, ‘Mujhe Dushman Ke Bachon Ko Parhana Hai‘.
The song was a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the tragic Army Public School attack in 2014.
It was initially supposed to be performed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.
Reflecting on the emotional impact of the attack, Sahir said:
“I was devastated after the incident where so many innocent children lost their lives.
“I created this song as a tribute, and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was initially on board. He even accepted payment for the tribute.
“However, one day, he called to say, ‘I’m sorry, my friend, but I can’t sing it because I’m afraid.’”
Faced with this setback, Sahir decided to take a different approach.
He continued: “My son was constantly on my mind, especially since this tragedy involved children like him.
“I wanted to do something bigger than this.
“So, I called my son and recorded the song with him. As he sang, I couldn’t help but shed tears.”
The song, released by the ISPR following the Army Public School massacre, sent a powerful message from a slain child to extremists.
It emphasised that war should never be waged against children.
The lyrics were penned by officials from ISPR and conveyed a strong message:
“I want to educate the children of my enemies.”
The emotional three-and-a-half-minute video featured sombre yet determined faces of children singing while holding posters with slogans.
Sahir’s revelation about Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s refusal has led to reactions flooding social media.
One user remarked: “He doesn’t want to sing for what’s right. He just wants to sing for entertainment.
“Men have stopped being born with substance.”
Another user stated: “Rahat singing a song for Bollywood was definitely more important than paying tribute to those little martyrs of our country.”
A third comment questioned Rahat’s professionalism: “Is it alright to get paid and agree to do a song and then back out?
“I must say that was really very unprofessional of Mr Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.”
Previously, Sahir Ali Bagga also called out Rahat Fateh Ali Khan for not crediting him for the song ‘Zaroori Tha’.