Mehfil returns to celebrate Pakistan’s musical heritage across three cities

Mehfil, co-founded by Muhammad Ibrahim and acclaimed music producer Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan, popularly known as Xulfi, made its debut last year in Lahore with a musical extravaganza that brought together young talent from Hunza alongside the iconic band Call, which reunited after many years, and acclaimed singer and actor Farhan Saeed. The team is now all set to bring Mehfil back with a three-city tour in May 2026.

Last year’s Mehfil took audiences on a journey down memory lane as songs that a generation of millennials grew up with, such as Pee Jaoun and Laari Chootee were performed live on stage.

The Hunza-based orchestra, with its unique blend of traditional instruments including the Dadang, Chitrali Sitar, and Xhiggini, reinvigorated these songs and received a rapturous response that resonated throughout Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Council. The group is known as the LLMC Ensemble, as its members are trained at the Leif Larsen Music Centre (LLMC), established in Hunza by the Aga Khan Music Programme (AKMP) and Aga Khan Cultural Services – Pakistan (AKCS-P), in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy. The center was created to preserve the indigenous music traditions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, along with the region’s traditional instruments, which are increasingly at risk as contemporary musical forms become more dominant.

The brainchild of Giraffe Private Limited, the team behind several recent seasons of Coke Studio that produced chart-topping tracks such as Pasoori and Jhol, Mehfil is designed as a live music property that brings together distinct musical lineages, established voices, and younger talent to create shared experiences for audiences across the country. 

The team previously led the Humnava project, an innovative music and arts platform that brought together international artists to collaborate, live, and record in a shared space. The program was piloted in Hunza, where artists from around the world, including Pakistan, France, Germany, Algeria, and Zambia, came together to collaborate, jam, write, and record in an immersive environment. That same spirit of exchange and collaboration now continues through Mehfil, this time in a live format that places Pakistan’s diverse musical traditions in conversation with contemporary performance. 

The latest chapter of Mehfil will be a scaled-up edition of its predecessor, offering audiences in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad the opportunity to experience a distinctive fusion of mountain melodies and contemporary music. This three-city tour aims to take the energy and emotional resonance of the first edition to wider audiences, while continuing to celebrate the richness of Pakistan’s musical heritage in new and accessible ways. Anticipation continues to build, with strong early demand reflected in rapid ticket sales.

As part of a collaborative effort to present Mehfil across Pakistan, Giraffe Private Limited and HUM Network, through their enterprise ‘Karwaan Music (Private) Limited’, is organizing music performances across three cities, while Aga Khan Cultural Services - Pakistan (AKCS-P) is mobilizing the LLMC band. To formalize their partnership, the two organizations signed an agreement at the AKCS-P Zaman Park office. During the meeting, representatives from both Karwaan and AKCS-P shared the history and work of their respective institutions. Discussions also focused on the significance of the Mehfil initiative in promoting both emerging and established Pakistani music talent side by side.

The Karwaan team was represented by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Ibrahim, Assistant Manager Live Music, Afeef Faizi and Visual Communication Designer Abdul Basit. The AKCS-P team present on the occasion included CEO Tausif Khawaja, Director of Human Resources Mehreen Amir, and Communications Specialist Abbas Hussain. 

Reflecting on the promising project, Xulfi said: “Mehfil came from a very simple but powerful desire: to create a space where different musical worlds could meet each other with honesty, warmth, and excitement. We often inherit songs in one form and one memory, but when those same songs are reinterpreted through different instruments, regions, and sensibilities, they begin to reveal new emotional colours. That, for me, is where Mehfil becomes special.

What moved me most in the first edition was seeing how naturally these worlds came together. The LLMC Ensemble brought such depth, discipline, and soul to the music, and when that met artists and songs people already carry in their hearts, something fresh happened. Nostalgia. Performance. Rediscovery. Mehfil is about giving Pakistan’s musical diversity the scale, care, and stage it deserves.”

HUM Network Limited (HNL), Pakistan’s premier news and entertainment organization, is proud to be the media partner for this year’s Mehfil. Renowned for its acclaimed dramas and compelling content, HUM has earned international recognition for its exceptional storytelling. The network boasts a strong presence among the South Asian diaspora worldwide, and is celebrated for its innovation, cultural impact, and influential role in shaping contemporary narratives. Through this collaboration, the network reaffirms its dedication to celebrating, as well as promoting Pakistan’s cultural heritage and vibrant storytelling. 

AKMP’s mission is to foster the development of living musical heritage in societies across the world where Muslims have a significant presence, and to disseminate this work internationally through collaborations with exceptionally creative musicians, artists, educators, and arts presenters. AKMP has participated in and collaborated with several internationally renowned music festivals and platforms, including the Edinburgh International Festival and the EFG London Jazz Festival. In addition, musicians trained through AKMP initiatives have been associated with Grammy-nominated projects.

AKCS-P’s CEO, Tausif Khawaja, described LLMC as an extension of AKMP’s mission to conserve precious musical heritage.

“The Mehfil initiative aligns with the mission of Aga Khan Trust for Culture and its local affiliate, Aga Khan Cultural Service - Pakistan, to conserve cultural heritage while presenting its richness and diversity to wider audiences. Building on this vision, the Leif Larsen Music Centre (LLMC) was founded to conserve the indigenous mountain music of Pakistan and nurture young talent from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. 

Through our partnership with the Giraffe team, we hope to bring the rich cultural legacy of this remarkable region to audiences across Pakistan and beyond. The talented LLMC ensemble has already made significant strides through projects and performances locally and internationally, and we are confident that this gifted group of musicians will continue to excel.”

Mehfil will be showcased in Karachi on 8 May, in Islamabad on 16 May and in Lahore on 23 May. The program aims to present diverse musical talent while celebrating a range of cultural and musical traditions through carefully curated performances.