ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed grief over “irreparable loss” to the world of music after a leading Pakistani singer, Nayyara Noor, passed away in Karachi at the age of 71.
Noor became a household name after her singing debut on Pakistan Television in the 1970s. She also won several awards during her career, including Pride of Performance by the country’s president in 2006.
“The death of famous singer Nayyara Noor is an irreparable loss to the music world,” the prime minister said in a Twitter post. “She earned special recognition due to her melodious voice.”
Sharif said the legendary Pakistani vocalist was equally good at singing songs and ghazals, adding her death had created a void that could not be filled.
Noor’s relatives confirmed her death late Saturday night and said that her funeral would be held at 4pm in DHA.
The Pakistani singer sang hundreds of songs and performed on television, radio and live concerts. She was called the “Nightingale of Pakistan” and had a huge fan following.
Noor was also among very few performers who earned the coveted Nigar Award within a few years of her public debut.
According to media reports, she is survived by her husband and two sons.
Pakistani PM expresses grief over legendary singer Nayyara Noor’s demise
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Pakistani PM expresses grief over legendary singer Nayyara Noor’s demise
- Noor became a household name after making her singing debut on Pakistan Television in the 1970s
- She was called the ‘Nightingale of Pakistan’ and earned the Pride of Performance award in 2006
Pakistan highlights economic reforms at Davos, eyes cooperation in AI, IT and minerals
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at breakfast event in Davos at sidelines of World Economic Forum summit
- Pakistan, rich in gold, copper reserves, has sought cooperation with China, US, Gulf countries in its mineral sector
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s recent economic reforms during the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos on Wednesday, saying that his country was eyeing greater cooperation in mines and minerals, information technology, cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence with other states.
The Pakistani prime minister was speaking at the Pakistan Pavilion in Davos on the sidelines of the WEF summit at a breakfast event. Sharif arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday to attend the 56th annual meeting of the WEF, which brings together global business leaders, policymakers and politicians to speak on social, economic and political challenges.
Pakistan has recently undertaken several economic reforms, which include removing subsidies on energy and food, privatization of loss-making state-owned enterprises and expanding its tax base. Islamabad took the measures as part of reforms it agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a financial bailout package.
“We are now into mines and minerals business in a big way,” Sharif said at the event. “We have signed agreements with American companies and Chinese companies.”
Islamabad has sought to attract foreign investment in its critical minerals sector in recent months. In April 2025, Pakistan hosted an international minerals summit where top companies and government officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, China, Türkiye, the UK, Azerbaijan, and other nations attended.
Pakistan is rich in gold, copper and lithium reserves as well as other minerals, yet its mineral sector contributes only 3.2 percent to the countrys GDP and 0.1 percent to global exports, according to official figures.
Sharif said Pakistan has been blessed with infinite natural resources which are buried in its mountains in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and southwestern Balochistan regions.
“But we have now decided to go forward at lightning speed,” he said. “And we are also moving speedily in the field of crypto, AI, IT.”
He said the government’s fiscal and economic measures have reduced inflation from nearly 30 percent a few years ago to single-digit figures, adding that its tax-to-GDP ratio had also increased from 9 to 10.5 percent.
The prime minister admitted Pakistan’s exports face different kinds of challenges collectively, saying the country’s social indicators needed to improve.
“But the way forward is very clear: that Pakistan has to have an export-led growth,” he said.
Sharif will take part in an informal meeting of world leaders this year themed ‘The Importance of Dialogue in a Divided Global Landscape,’ his office said in an earlier statement.
Pakistan’s participation at the WEF comes as Islamabad seeks to sustain recent economic stabilization and attract investment by engaging directly with policymakers, business leaders and international institutions at the annual gathering.
