Moscow, Russia: The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Russia will host a special musical performance featuring legendary sitar maestro Ustad Raees Ahmed Khan and the acclaimed Khumariyaan Band in Moscow on August 12, showcasing Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage and contemporary musical traditions.
The event is part of the embassy’s efforts to strengthen cultural diplomacy and promote Pakistan’s diverse artistic legacy among Russian audiences.
Ustad Raees Ahmed Khan is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s finest classical musicians. Throughout his distinguished career, he has rendered exceptional services to the field of music and has been honoured with some of Pakistan’s highest civilian awards, including the Presidential Award for Pride of Performance, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, and Hilal-i-Imtiaz, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the country’s cultural landscape.
Joining him on stage will be Khumariyaan, an internationally renowned instrumental ensemble formed in Peshawar in 2009. The band emerged during a challenging period in Pakistan’s history marked by Talibanization, sectarian violence, military operations, and regional instability. Against this backdrop, Khumariyaan embraced music as a powerful form of cultural expression and peaceful resistance.
The band’s mission is to promote Pakistan’s indigenous musical traditions while blending them with elements of world music to inspire and engage the country’s educated youth. Rather than relying on conventional vocal performances common in South Asian music, Khumariyaan emphasizes instrumental compositions with only minimal vocal elements, allowing listeners to interpret the music through their own experiences.
The musicians describe live acoustic performance as the highest form of artistic expression, aiming to create an immersive and philosophical musical experience that evokes deep emotional responses among audiences.
Over the years, Khumariyaan has represented Pakistan at numerous prestigious international festivals and cultural events across the globe. The band performed at the DeV Peace Fest in Chandigarh, India, in 2009 and undertook the CenterStage US Tour in 2014, performing across 12 states in the United States.
In 2015, Khumariyaan became the only band from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to perform at the internationally acclaimed South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas.
Their international engagements have also included the Alchemy Festival at London’s Southbank Centre (2017), Opportunity Collaboration in Cancun, Mexico (2017), performances hosted by the US Embassy in Ireland (2017), the Islamic Irish Music Festival in Dublin (2018), UNESCO Headquarters in Paris (2018), the Bangkok Convention Center in Thailand (2018), and the Dubai Expo 2020 Millennium Stage.
More recently, the ensemble performed at The Creatives Bhaag Festivals across East Africa in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zanzibar in 2022 and 2023, the MAMF Music Festival in South Korea in 2023, The Trade Show in Cairo, Egypt, in 2024, and Riyadh Season 2024 in Saudi Arabia.
The upcoming performance in Moscow is expected to provide Russian audiences with a unique opportunity to experience Pakistan’s classical and contemporary instrumental music while further strengthening cultural ties between Pakistan and Russia.
Since Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi took over the charge of Pakistan’s envoy in Russia, Pakistan’s embassy is holding different events, hosting delegations and encouraging Pakistani students in Russia for enhancing public diplomacy.
Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with the Russian Federation has continued to expand under the tenure of Ambassador Muhammad Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, who assumed charge as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia in late 2023. His tenure has been marked by a renewed focus on political engagement, economic cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and public outreach, reflecting the growing trajectory of bilateral relations.
Since taking office, Ambassador Tirmizi has worked to sustain the momentum in Pakistan-Russia ties by facilitating high-level exchanges and strengthening institutional and parliamentary contacts between the two countries. The embassy has actively supported dialogue on regional and international issues while promoting closer cooperation in multiple sectors.
Economic diplomacy has remained a key priority during his tenure. The embassy has encouraged Russian investment in Pakistan, particularly in the fields of energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and mining, while supporting trade delegations and Pakistan’s participation in major Russian economic forums, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Discussions on energy cooperation, including oil imports, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and energy infrastructure projects, have also continued as part of broader efforts to enhance bilateral economic engagement.
Cultural diplomacy has emerged as one of the most visible features of Ambassador Tirmizi’s tenure. The Embassy of Pakistan in Moscow has organized a series of events showcasing Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, including National Day celebrations, cultural festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, musical performances, and academic exchanges. Among the notable initiatives is the embassy’s arrangement of performances by internationally acclaimed sitar maestro Ustad Raees Ahmed Khan, recipient of the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, and Pride of Performance awards, and the renowned Pashtun instrumental fusion group Khumariyaan, highlighting Pakistan’s cultural diversity to Russian audiences.
The embassy has also expanded academic cooperation by strengthening links with Russian universities, encouraging student exchanges, and promoting Urdu language and Pakistani studies. In parallel, efforts have been made to modernize consular services and improve outreach to the Pakistani community in Russia through enhanced digital communication and community engagement.
Diplomatic observers note that while many of the developments in Pakistan-Russia relations are the result of sustained engagement by both governments and institutions, Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi has played an active role in facilitating dialogue and promoting closer bilateral cooperation through economic, cultural, and public diplomacy initiatives.
