Saturday 20 / April / 2024
Muscat:A designer fashion store in Muscat downed its shutters for three days as a mark of respect to its founder, Junaid Jamshed, one of the victims of the Pakistan International Airlines plane crash on Wednesday.
The famous pop star-turned-Islamic-preacher, Junaid Jamshed, was onboard the ill-fated PK-661 flight from Islamabad that crashed killing all 47 onboard.
Junaid Jamshed owned a number of fashion stores around the world, including in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK, the US, Canada and Oman. A store was due to open soon in Australia. His shop in Ruwi reopened yesterday.
The management had posted a message next to the store’s front door and also on the store’s Facebook page.
It read: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Junaid Jamshed is no longer among us. J. has lost its torchbearer and the world has lost a great human being.
“The J. Family also extends its condolences to all the victims of the crash. May their souls rest in the highest rank of Jannah.”
“I have been with Junaid Bhai for last nine years and was very close to him. When I heard this news, I felt everything has come to a stop and nothing is in motion. His affectionate face was in front of me, smiling the way it always did. He was on a preaching trip and his mission was to unite mankind. It’s a very big loss to this world,” said Ahmed Samir, Chief Operating Officer, Junaid Jamshed Middle East.
A prayer meet was organised for him on Friday in Dubai by the Pakistan Education Academy.
One of his staff members at the store in Muscat said they were all shocked and couldn’t believe what had happened, “It was indeed a shock for us. He was obviously the owner of the stores and we were completely shattered, couldn’t even believe what had happened. I met him on several occasions in Pakistan and he was a wonderful person. The shop remained closed for two days and we are praying for his soul.”
A statement on the airline’s website read: “We regret to inform that PIA’s ATR-42 aircraft operating as PK-661 from Chitral to Islamabad, carrying 42 persons, was involved in an accident at around 1640 hrs local time on 7th December, 2016.
“Although no further details of the accident are available at the moment, total number of passengers were 42 and there were five crew members.
“The PIA is taking all possible measures to help victims’ families and assist the local authorities.”
Expatriates in Oman are in shock after they came to know that the Pakistan air crash had claimed the life of the famed-rock star-turned-Muslim evangelist.
Jamshed, 52, was Pakistan’s iconic singer-turned-preacher and fashion designer. He first gained prominence when he became part of a boy band called ‘Vital Signs’ in 1987. He had a degree in engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore.
He launched his fashion clothing range in 2004 to supplement his income after quitting singing.
He opened his first brand outlet in Muscat in 2016 in Ruwi High Street.
“His clothing line caters to men, women and children, and is popular among the Pakistani community around the world. We are still in a shock after his death,” A H Raja, vice chairman of Pakistan Social Club, said.
He was a frequent visitor to Oman and wanted to open more shops in Oman and had even performed in Qurum Amphitheatre in the early 2000s.
“At that time, he had hinted to me that he wanted to quit singing,” Raja recalled.
Another Pakistani living in Oman said, “He had become very famous ever since he sang ‘DilDil Pakistan’ as the lead singer of Vital Signs. I would like to remember him as an Islamic preacher, which he later turned into, and would request people to remember him the same way.
“From ‘DilDil Pakistan’ to Qaseeda Burdah Shareef, he was a man of my era. We will greatly miss him. He was such an amazing and down to earth person, and involved in various charitable initiatives,” said Mohsin Javed Saulat, a businessman.
