Singer Sonu Nigam has shared a reel marking the anniversary of the April 10, 2004 bomb blast in Karachi, revisiting the night he performed hours after an explosion near his concert venue.
Sonu Nigam shared reel on what happened during his performance in Karachi 2004 blast
The reel, originally posted by a Pakistani fan, describes the video as a short documentary on the events of that day during the singer’s Pakistan tour. It recounts how a blast occurred close to the venue shortly before the show, killing and injuring people in the surrounding area, even as the concert eventually went ahead under heightened security.
According to the video, Sonu continued the performance later that evening, singing tracks from the Shah Rukh Khan-starrers Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Main Hoon Na, Kal Ho Na Ho, and Veer Zara. He sang Suraj Hua Maddham, as the audience applauded.
The reel also features an interview with late organiser Furqan T. Siddiqui, who died in March 2025, describing the arrangements made after the explosion. He said security was intensified, roads were cleared, and the singer was escorted to the venue under heavy protection, including that of the Pakistan Rangers. The opening act, Arshad Mehmood, was asked to extend his set to keep the audience engaged while Sonu remained backstage.
Furqan said the singer, who was shaken following the incident, waited before taking the stage, listening to the ongoing performance and assessing the situation as the crowd settled.
Sonu talked about ties between people of India-Pakistan
When he appeared, Sonu addressed the audience, saying, “Main koshish karta hoon ki aapko entertain kiya jae. Aaj ki shaam jo hai, aap log jaldi mein to nahi hain, bilkul bhi?” (I will try to entertain you. This evening, you are not in a hurry, right? Not at all?) He went on to speak about ties between India and Pakistan.
“Main ye keh ke iss programme ki shuruat karna chahta hoon ki bohot hi badkismat rahe hain Bharat aur Pakistan ke log…” (I want to begin by saying that the people of India and Pakistan have been very unfortunate…) he said, adding, “…jinhen itna pyaar itne saalon se miss kar rahe the… chahe India mein ho ya Pakistan mein.” (…they had been missing this love for many years… whether in India or Pakistan.) He concluded, “Dua kijiye… ki hamesha hamara ye pyaar badhta rahe.” (Pray… that this love between us continues to grow.)
Sonu on how his life was saved by Pakistani organiser
In another segment, Furqan recalled maintaining contact with the singer after the incident, saying, “Har 10 April ko message aata tha that we are brothers” (Every April 10, a message would come saying we are brothers) and “Maut ke mooh se saath bache” (We survived from the jaws of death together). Quoting Nigam, he added, “Mujhpe attack yahan par hua… lekin mujhe bachaya bhi Pakistani ne hai” (The attack happened on me here… but it was also a Pakistani who saved me.)
India-Pakistan relations in 2004
The concert took place during a period of improving ties between India and Pakistan. In 2004, the two countries had resumed diplomatic engagement through a peace process following years of tension after the Kargil War and the 2001–02 military standoff. This phase, often referred to as the composite dialogue, also saw a gradual revival of cultural exchanges, including cross-border concerts and artist visits.
Furqan also noted that Sonu had spent several days in Karachi ahead of the event, making public appearances and interacting with fans. At the time, the singer was at the height of his popularity following Main Hoon Na, with songs such as Tumse Milke Dil Ka Hai Jo Haal widely recognised across the region.
Sonu’s post revisits the 2004 concert as an event that went ahead despite a deadly security incident nearby, underscoring both the risks at the time and the continued cross-border appeal of popular music.
