NEW DELHI: Ghazal legend Mehdi Hassan has been admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Karachi after he had trouble in breathing, his son Arif Hassan said on Wednesday.The 84-year-old singer, the voice behind evergreen ghazals like "Ab ke bichade" and "Patta patta boota boota", has also stopped speaking.
Hassan, who has been suffering from lung problems for the past 12 years, was rushed to Karachi's Agha Khan hospital on Tuesday night. Doctors said Hassan is suffering from chest and urine infection.
"He had trouble in breathing last night. We immediately rushed him to the hospital. He is in ICU but there is no positive response from the doctors about his condition," Arif said. "We have been feeding him through tube for the past two years and for the past one month, he has even lost his voice, which mesmerized millions of his fans," he added.
Arif said Hassan always wanted to visit India for treatment. "He wanted to visit India, his birth country, and we were supposed to be there last year but his condition never improved. Now the doctors have strictly said no to any journey," he said.
Singers Hariharan and Hansraj Hans besides Gulzar have enquired about Hassan's health over phone, Arif said. Facing a cash crunch for his treatment, the family of the legendary singer has appealed to the Pakistan government for some help.
"We have to pay Rs 45 lakh to the hospital. Government has publicly promised to bear all the expenses of his treatment and we are relying on them. I am hopeful that people will come forward to help," Arif said.
Hassan was born into a family of traditional musicians in Rajasthan's Luna village in 1927. His family migrated to Pakistan during the Partition.
Hassan, who has a huge following in the subcontinent, cut back on his performances in the late 80s due to illness. The singer last performed in India in 2000.
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