There’s something about pairing your shaam ki chai with something that enhances the experience. A lot of people grab biscuits, samosas, pakoras, kebabs. We, on the other hand, like gazing into the distance, cuppa chai in our hands, and listening to music that makes it worth it. We got a list of Pakistani songs that have absolutely the most beautiful lyrics we’ve ever heard.
1. ‘Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo’ – Farida Khanum
Waqt ki qaid mein zindagi hai magar
Chand ghariyan yehi hain jo aazad hain
Inko kho kar meri jaan-e-jaan
Umar bhar na taraste raho
Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo
2. ‘Mujhe Tum Nazar Se’ – Mehdi Hassan
Meri yaad ho gi, jidher jao gey tum
Kabhi naghma ban ke, kabhi ban ke aansoo
Tarapta mujhe har taraf paaoge tum..
Shama jo jalayi hai, meri wafa ne
Bujhana bhi chaho, bujha na sako gey
3. ‘Kithay Nain Na Jorin’ – Reshma
Meynu jhalleya bana ke
Aap’e mann laye kinaare
Din lang gaye ne mere
Teri yaad de sahaare
Rona umra’an da pa ke,
Rona umra’an da pa ke
Mera khoon na nichorein,
Mera khoon na nichorein
Tenu wasta Khuda da…
4. ‘Khamaj’ – Fuzon
Sawan beeto jaae be’harmaan
Mann mera ghabraaye
Aiso gaye pardes piya tum
Chayn humein nahi aaye
Mora saiyaan moh se boley na
5. ‘Jab Koi Pyar Se Bolaye Ga’ – Mehdi Hassan
Dil kahin jab sakoon na paye ga
Tum ko aik shakhs yaad aye ga
Jab koi pyar se bulaye ga
Tum ko aik shakhs yaad aye ga…
6. ‘Irtiqa III’ – Entity Paradigm
Yeh baatein shayad samajh na paao
Keh nazar faqat shanas hai
Mustarid roshnee ko sach jaanney kee
Haqeeqat maanney kee
Alfaz kai madar mein alfaz hee alfaz hein
Alfaz kai is bhanwar mein alfaz kee talash hai
Alfaz sai tau soch hai
7. ‘Raqeeb’ – Natasha Humera Ejaz
Dekho tau sub acha hai,
Jaano tau kuch bhi nahi
Mera saath phir bhi sacha hai,
Maano tau ker lo yaqeen…
8. ‘Ulfat Ki Nayi Manzil Ko Challa’ – Iqbal Bano
Jub chaandni raaton mein tu ne,
Khud hum se kiya iqraar e wafaa
Phir aaj hein kyoon hum begaane,
Teri berehem nigaahon mein
Dil torrne wale dekh ke chall
Hum bhi tau paray hain raahoun mein
9. ‘Kahan Ho Tum Challey Aao’ – Nayyara Noor
Tumhaari be’rukhi ek din
Humaari jaan le le gi
Qasam tum ko
Zara socho
Ke dastoor-e-wafa kya hai
Gham-e-duniya se ghabra ker
Tumhein dil ne pukaara hai
10. ‘Mere Dil Mere Musafir’ – Tina Sani
Tumhein kya kahoon ki kya hai
Shab-e-gham buri balaa hai
Humein yeh bhi tha ghaneemat
Jo koi shumaar hota
‘Humein kya bura tha marna
Agar ek baar hota..
11. ‘Ranjish Hi Sahi’ – Iqbal Bano
Ek umar se houn lazzat-e-giriyaan se bhi mehroom
Ae rahat-e-jaan mujh ko rulaane ke liye aa
Ab tak dil-e-khush’feham ko tujh se hain umeedein
Ye aakhri shamm’ein bhi bujhaane ke liye aa…
12. ‘Woh Ishq Jo Humse Rooth Gaye’ – Farida Khanum
Ek aag gham-e-tanhai ki
Jo saare badan mein phail gayi
Jab jism hi sara jalta ho
Phir daman-e-dil ko bachayien kya
Koi mehr nahi koi qehr nahi
Phir sacha shayr sunayien kya
Woo ishq jo hum se rooth gaya…
13. ‘Gham Hai Ya Khushi Hai Tu’ – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Mein khizaan ki shaam houn
Mein khizaan ki shaam houn
Rutt bahaar ki hai tu,
Meri zindagi hai tu…
14. ‘Hum Na’ – Rungg
Hum na houn gey juda’a
Raastey ubh kabhi na houn gey darmeyaan…
15. ‘Medha Ishq Vi Toon’ – Pathanay Khan
Meda ishq vi tu meda yaar vi tu
Meda deen vi tu iman vi tu
Meda jism vi tu meda rooh vi tu
Meda qalb vi tu jind jaan vi tu
Meda Ka’aba, Qibla, Masjid, Mimbar
Mushaf te Qura’an vi tu
16. ‘Kadi Aao Ni’ – Mai Dhai and Atif Aslam
Arre aawan jaawan kare gaya re
Kar gaya bol anek
Aawan jawan kare gaya
Kar gaya bol anek
Dinda re gunti ghat gayi
Aanganiya ri rekh
Arre dinda re gunti ghat gayi
Perooda ri rekh
(He came and went countless times
And made me many promises
Counting on my fingers the days since he’s been gone
My fingers have become rough and their lines rubbed away
Counting the days since he’s been gone
The lines of all five fingers have been rubbed away
Come sometime)
17. ‘Tum Ek Gorakh Dhanda Ho’ – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Koi ranjha jo kabhi khooj mein nikle teri, tum usay jhang ke bele mein rula daitay ho
Justujo lay ke tumhari jo chalay Qais koi, uss ko Majnu kisi Laila ka bana daitay ho
Jot Sassi ke agar moun mein tumhaari jagay, tum usse taptay hue Thal mein jala daitay ho
Sohni gar tum ko Mahiwaal tassavur ker le, uss ko bikhri hui lehron mein baha daitay ho
Khudh joh chaho tau sar-e-arsh bula ker Mehboob, aik hi raat mein mairaaj kara daitay ho…
18. ‘Makki Madni’ – Chand Tara Orchestra
Ho jaye agar ik chashm-e-karam
Mehshar mein humaari laaj rahe
Ae shaafa-e-mehshar tere siva
Bakh’shish ka vaseela koi nahi…
19. ‘Paar Channa De’ – Noori
Vekh challa pe’ndi aan na chchaddi dil ve
Haan le ke thil ve
Ajj Mahiwal nu mein jaana milne
Aehoi dil ve
Yaar nu mile gi ajj laash yaar di, ariye ariye…
20. ‘Haal Aisa Nahi’ – Ali Sethi
Sub samjhtey hain, yaar, sub chup hain
Koi kehta nahin ke tum se kahein
Aik jhagra nahin ke tum se kahein
Haal aisa nahin ke tum se kahein
21. ‘Saiyaan’ – Quratulain Baloch
Apne tann di khabar nai
Sajan di khabar laave kon
Na main khaki na main aatish
Na paani na paun…
22. ‘Pyaar Naal Na Sahi’ – Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi
Dil di duniya ‘ich tere baajhoun,
Je koi wasaavaan taan kafir aakhein
Main teri chaukhat toon saari zindagi,
Je sar uṭhaawan taan kaafir aakhein.
Je meri pooja ‘ich farq aawe,
E’jaaz khanjar di laud kaai naeen,
Khuda gawaah e toon akh’cha badlen
Main marr na jawan taan kaafir aakheen…
23. ‘Daagh-e-Dil’ – Iqbal Bano
Apni qismat se hai mufar kis ko
Teer par urr kay bhi nishanay lagay
Log apnay diyay jalanay lagay
Daagh-e-dil hum ko yaad anay lagay
Let us know what your favorite lyrics are in the comments below