In Pakistan’s crime-ridden megacity, policeman’s hymns to Prophet Muhammad earn him unlikely fame

KARACHI: In a now viral video, a policeman in uniform can be seen stepping out of the iconic yellow-stone Frere Hall building in Pakistan’s commercial hub of Karachi.
The background score, however, is not gunshots or siren wails, and the cop is not seen chasing criminals on the mean streets of Karachi. This is a video showing the policeman reciting a na’at, a melodious rendition of poetry in praise of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Since right before the beginning of Ramadan when the video was released, 33-year-old Qaiser Zaman Abbasi’s hymns to the prophet have catapulted him to unlikely fame in Karachi, known for criminal violence and dirty cops often accused of being facilitators of political, drug and other mafias.
Abbasi joined the Sindh provincial police force in 2017 and has primarily served at the Artillery Maidan police station located in downtown Saddar, with his main duties involving fighting crime in Karachi’s teeming alleys or dealing with protesters of all kinds.
The cop first became known as a na’at khawan, or na’at singer, after a 2021 performance at a Sindh Police event, for which he received wide recognition and praise.
“I recited the na’at ‘Aye Sabz Gumbad Walay.’ This na’at is very famous and after reciting it in my own style, people appreciated it greatly,” the police constable told Arab News. “After that, there was a desire [in me] to record another na’at in my voice.”
Abbasi finally recorded and released the video a week before Ramadan this month, which has since gone viral.
“Today, I have reached this place because of my mother,” Abbasi said when asked what inspired him to sing na’ats.
“My mother always wanted for us to recite na’ats and our home had such an atmosphere [of devotion] … Besides that, I listen to famous Pakistani na’at khwans and have learned many things from there too.”
But despite the fame, being a cop is still his top priority, Abbasi said.
“I always strive to prioritize my duty, because that’s fulfilling an obligation, which is very crucial. After that, the time available at home is utilized for rehearsing and reciting.”
But reciting na’at’s had softened his personality, the policeman said, and helped him to be more sensitive to constituents and become a better cop and human being.
“Obviously, when dealing with criminals, for them, a different behavior and attitude is needed,” he said.
“But when it comes to reciting na’ats, then the way of conducting oneself must become softer because you are praising the Prophet [Muhammad], so your heart needs to be soft, this is what I think.”
In the future, Abbasi hopes to continue to sing na’ats and share recordings with the public:
“It is indeed a matter of great honor to receive love and affection from people ... God willing, I hope to continue this professionally.”