Thank You, Uncle Sargam! Pakistanis Mourn The Demise Of Legendary Farooq Qaiser

Uncle Sargam Farooq Qaiser

Many in Pakistan and the world, lost a part of their childhood with the demise of iconic Farooq Qaiser alias Uncle Sargam. The veteran puppeteer passed away in Islamabad at 75 on Friday due to cardiac arrest.

His family confirmed Qaiser had been suffering from a heart ailment for some time. His condition worsened on Friday after which an ambulance rushed him to a hospital but he could not be revived.

All Images: Twitter

Qaiser is survived by three children, a son and two daughters, Dawn quoted his grandson, Hasnain Qaiser Iqbal, as saying.

Kaliyan & ‘Uncle Sargam’

Qaiser was born in Lahore on October 31, 1945, and was educated at the National College of Arts. He got a Master’s in Graphic Arts from Romania in 1976. And, then another postgraduate degree in Mass Communication from the University of Southern California, US, in 1999.

Qaiser was a famed columnist, director, puppeteer, scriptwriter, and voice-over artist. He wrote several humorous books. He also provided educational services in India for two years as part of Unesco.

Qaiser’s portrayal of Uncle Sargam became hugely popular in Pakistan. Many 90s kids in Pakistan cherished the household name for decades. Qaiser created the puppet character and also gave him his voice.

Uncle Sargam was first introduced in a television show for kids, Kaliyan, when it was broadcast on Pakistan Television (PTV) in 1976.

The duo of Uncle Sargam with another character on the show, Maasi Museebatay, achieved love and admiration over the years.

Tributes & prayers for Uncle Sargam

Along with KaliyanPutli Tamasha and Sargam Time were Qaiser’s most loved TV shows. He was awarded the Presidential Pride of Performance award in 1993 for his craft. We will miss you, Uncle Sargam!

Story Credits: Dawn

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