The Jury announced the nominees for the Aga Khan Music Award 2025 on Thursday, which included three Pakistani artists who have made significant contributions to the field of music. According to the official website of the Aga Khan Music Awards, three Pakistani musicians, Juman Latif, Ustad Noor Bakhsh, and Ustad Naseeruddin Saami, have been nominated for this internationally recognized award.
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami is recognized as Pakistan's preeminent classical vocalist and the last living master of the 49-note microtonal surti scale. A torchbearer of the Delhi gharana (lineage), he received his training from the legendary qawwal Munshi Raziuddin, specializing in khayal—the refined art of Hindustani classical improvisation—beginning in the 1950s. As the sole surviving practitioner of this intricate microtonal system, Saami's legacy is preserved through his teaching and performances across Pakistan and Europe.
Ustad Noor Bux, known for playing the benju, a keyed zither played with a plectrum, hails from Balochistan. He has devoted over five decades of his life to music and is recognized as a noted public figure in the province for his significant command over multiple classical and folk tunes.
Juman Latif, also known as Fakir Juman Shah, is a Sufi musician and educator from the Sindh region of Pakistan. Latif is the inheritor of a centuries-old musical tradition called shah jo raag, which originates from the Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. He hopes to promote the art of shah jo raag on a world stage, informing wider audiences about the tradition he represents.
The Aga Khan Music Award was launched by Late His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th Spiritual Leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community, in 2018. The award recognizes the vital role of music and art in maintaining and fostering peace, unity, and happiness across the world. Pakistani folk singers Sain Zahoor and Zarsanga from Chitral won the AKMA in 2023. This year, the ceremony will be held under the patronage of H.H. Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the successor of Prince Karim Aga Khan and the 50th spiritual leader of the Ismaili community along with Prince Amyn Aga Khan the younger brother of Late Prince Karim Aga Khan.