New Delhi: In 1998, in a small college dormitory in the US, two cousins huddled together, creating what would become a cultural sensation. Haniya Aslam and Zebunnisa Bangash, better known as Zeb and Haniya, composed their first song, Chup, with no idea of the storm it would cause back home in Pakistan.
Before the rise of social media, the song found its way into the hearts of the Pakistani student community abroad, spreading like wildfire. It was a moment of unanticipated success, as Haniya would later recount, “I did not realise it until someone emailed me saying look, some Pakistani students have made this song. It had gone viral among the desi Pakistani student community and we were called the Chup girls.”
The song, released in 2008, was an instant hit in Pakistan, catapulting them to stardom.
Aslam’s death on Sunday in Islamabad due to a cardiac arrest has left a void in the hearts of fans and musicians, including those in India.The soft-spoken, guitar-wielding half of the iconic duo of Coke Studio fame, will be deeply missed. Zeb posted a series of photos on Instagram after Haniya’s death, she captioned it Hanini.
Music composer Swanand Kirkire, who had collaborated with Zeb and Haniya on several projects, expressed his disbelief. He had spoken to Haniya only days before her death.
“She was the purest and kindest soul I had ever met. A tremendous musician, she generally would not speak much. She was soft-spoken and socially aware. She was doing a lot of things for the people back in her country,” he told ThePrint.
Haniya’s legacy extends beyond her music. She was a passionate advocate for social causes, often performing for free at charity events.
Former hockey player Fasi Zaka recalled her as the only musician who agreed to do a show for disabled children in Islamabad without any fee—a testament to her generous spirit.
The outpouring of tributes from friends, fans, and fellow musicians speaks to the impact Haniya had on those around her.
Actor Osman Khalid Butt summed up the collective grief and gratitude with a simple message: “Thank you for the music, Haniya Aslam.”
“She had a lot of music left in her,” Kirkire concluded.
Mekal Hasan, the guitarist with whom Haniya began her career—first as an intern and later as a collaborator on their debut album Chup—told ThePrint how Haniya was an ‘extraordinary person, both as a close friend and as a creative force.’
“Haniya was a trailblazer for young women, and she was unique in that she was not only a remarkable artist but also an exceptional songwriter, singer, composer, and a truly authentic producer. She passionately supported young people, doing so with immense generosity and empathy. In her passing, this country has lost someone who was a source of inspiration and pride,” said Hasan.
Schooled in folk music
A Beatles fan since the age of six, Haniya’s musical journey began when she received her first guitar at 15. And there was no looking back.
Haniya’s love for music was deeply rooted in her childhood. Born and raised in Lahore, she would often visit her extended family in Kohat, a small town in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In a region where music-making was once considered outrageous, Haniya and her cousin Zeb grew up surrounded by the folk songs of their parents and grandparents. It was these early influences that would later shape the unique sound of Zeb and Haniya, a fusion of pop, rock, and the traditional folk music of Pashto and Dari.
Their debut album received widespread acclaim, with major newspapers in Pakistan hailing Zeb and Haniya as pioneers, the first all-female band from the country. The duo’s Coke Studio outing with Rohail Hayat, where they performed the Pashto folk song Paimana Bitte (sung as Bibi Sanam Jaanam on the show), further solidified their place in the music industry.
The Herald praised Zeb and Haniya for establishing a completely new genre of jazz-infused tracks and blues in Urdu, while The News hailed their emergence as a “landmark event.” Deutsche Welle described the singer-songwriter duo as “among the most innovative musicians in Pakistan.”
However, the life of a touring musician was not one Haniya was comfortable with. Despite the success, she chose to step back from the limelight, leaving the band to pursue a career in audio engineering in Canada. But her love for music never waned. She returned to Pakistan several years later, collaborating with Ali Hamza to create Main Irada for the 11th season of Coke Studio in 2018. The song was inspired by Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman. Her last song was Aayi Aayi, released in 2023, which took two years to make.
Zeb and Haniya came to perform in Delhi 12 years ago at a concert organised at the Purana Quila. They also performed their song Aietbaar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Zeb and Haniya also teamed up with Indian artists, most notably with AR Rahman for the 2014 film Highway, where they contributed to the song Sooha Saaha and Hone do batiyaan for Fitoor (2019).