Shah Wali

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Ustad Shah Wali (Urdu: شاہ ولی) is one of those living Pashtun singers who have sung more than 10,000 songs in Pashto, Dari, and Urdu. An Afghan by birth, Shah Wali’s father was a businessman and had nothing to do with music. It was on his own account that Shah Wali carved a name for himself in this line.

Before his migration to Pakistan, Shah Wali had already sung more than 250 songs for Afghanistan Television. Once in Pakistan, he was taken in as a pupil by Ustad Nawab Ali Khan of the "House of Patiala" for 12 years and where he got an opportunity to learn from "King of Ghazal" Mehdi Hassan, Farida Khanam, and Nawab Shahabuddin Shahab. At the conclusion of his training he was conferred upon with the title of Ustad. His singing career started with his famous song “Shah Laila Rasha” for Afghanistan TV and the journey still goes on.

Currently he lives in Ontario, Canada and is actively involved with teaching Music to a number of students.