New Delhi: Pakistan’s Lahore University of Management Sciences or LUMS’ unique Qawwali night has left Pakistanis divided. Students gave a qawwali twist to Justin Bieber’s 2010 hit song Baby. Some are pretty angry. They want the singers arrested.
The performance took place on 5 January during their annual qawwali night—and Pakistanis had all sorts of reactions to it. The performance featured a group of professional qawwals giving the classic Bieber track a Sufi twist. What started as a catchy, upbeat pop song was transformed into a mesmerising, trance-like melody that had the crowd swaying, clapping, and even dancing.
The students at LUMS loved it—captured in a viral video that quickly made the rounds on Instagram, where the crowd was seen completely vibing with the performance.
However, some traditionalists weren’t so thrilled about the idea.
One Instagram user wrote, “Do these people even know the definition of Qawwali?”
Abdullah Irfan added, “Nusrat shb is sending curses from his grave right now.”
Others humorously referred to Bieber as “Ustad Justin Birbal Khan”.
Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time a Pakistani reinterpretation of Baby has gone viral. The “Justin Bibis,” two Pakistani sisters Maqadas and Saniyah, previously gained attention for their rendition of the song, ultimately leading to their appearance on Coke Studio.
There’s already demand for other possible pop song covers, with one person suggesting, “Next, they’ll cover ‘Sorry’ by Justin!” Another is hoping for a Shakira remix.
As Abdullah Hashim said, “Welcome to ‘Gen Z Qawwali’.
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The LUMS legacy
This isn’t LUMS’ first foray into unconventional, creative events. It is just keeping up with the college’s tradition.
The university has made a name for itself by hosting wild, themed nights, including a Bollywood Day where students dressed up as iconic movie characters and mimicked famous dialogues. The resulting viral TikTok video showed everything from Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas to Paresh Rawal’s Baburao from Hera Pheri, with students recreating their favourite Bollywood moments.
But perhaps the most talked-about event is the annual ‘Batch Shaadi’—a fake wedding extravaganza where students take on the roles of bride and groom, complete with glittering outfits, heartfelt speeches, and a campus lit up like a wedding reception. The event often goes viral across Pakistan.