I want people to join me and know me through my achievements in the field of education. I am a common man and I want common people like me to join me, together, we can do something special for our country," says Jawad Ahmed. Jawad is one of the most popular singers around these days. Endless rows of cars, causing traffic jams on main roads, are seen at his concerts. His tunes are equally popular with the young and old and his melodious voice has won many hearts. Within a span of two and a half years, this young singer has achieved phenomenal success and has become one of the top names in Pakistani Pop Music From foot tapping, romantic Punjabi songs, to serious soul music he has proved his versatility.

Jawad after his early education went to Government College and then moved on to the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, to pursue engineering. Mechanical engineer turned singer, Jawad Ahmed remembers his years at the UET as the best years of his life. "I was in the University of Engineering and Technology at the time when the emphasis was more on extra-curricular activities rather than studies, that is why I am where I am right now," he says laughingly.

"I liked the university so much that instead of spending four years there, I spent six years, although I was a silver medallist, but I used to skip papers," he says. "I have also played first class cricket and was the captain of our team in UET I was the youngest in the under-19 cricket team at one time," he adds. It was here that Jawad started taking an interest in music. He became the President of the Music Society and used to arrange concerts. "I used to invite different bands and conducted very big shows, the credit obviously went to me since I was the President of the society.

I also used to sing along; it was in one of these shows, when I had invited " Jupiters” that I sang with them and they later asked me to join them, at that time I refused. My brother and Najam Shiraz also had their own band. It was when Ali Azmat left Jupiters and joined Junoon, I was asked again and I accepted. It was a good offer in terms of money and I had seen my fellow students struggling, so I thought it was a good opportunity," says Jawad. His life took a turn from here, and his five years with the band changed his out look towards things. "Music came to me and became my destiny," he adds.

One of four siblings, Jawad gives a lot of credit to his parents for his success. Both professors of Political Science, they gave Jawad the freedom to go with the flow,. "Being professors they were both in touch with the younger generation and understood that I needed to vent my energy into something creative, such as music. I think it was a very positive step on their part," he says. "After being in Jupiters for five years and after graduating, my father however felt that I needed to settle down professionally and choose a career for myself, he was initially skeptical of my taking up music as a career.

I debated with him and asked him to give me two years in which to prove myself," says Jawad. "I am probably the only singer in Pakistan who has burnt all his boats to enter the world of music. I invested eight lacs out of my hard earned money, into my first audio and video. I was very focused about my work and was determined to succeed. I did not want my father to ever regret his decision of allowing me to go ahead with my plans," he adds.

Jawad released his first album in the year 2000 and that was the time he entered the commercial scene. "I first launched my album and then the video after six months. The second album came in March 2001. In all, it has been only two years and four months since I launched my first album. The success of it all has taken me by surprise. It was basically because I was focused on my work and had the determination to achieve the target I had made for myself," he says with pride.

Why is it that in most of his videos he himself has played the role of the hero? "Actually those are the videos that were made at the beginning of my career, where I did not have enough money to pay the models. I had no backing and no sponsors, it took me some time to arrange for sponsorship, for airing the videos on TV But if you notice now, in my new songs, such as "Uchhiyan Majajaan Wali", there is someone else playing the role!" he replies with an amused smile.

Are videos important for promoting an album? Absolutely! comes the instant reply, people according to him have no time these days. "When they see something on TV and it attracts them, they buy the album. That is the reason why videos are important for selling albums, I have taken out seven videos in this short period of time.

The industry is growing and we have some good directors." Jawad remembers the time when there were only two channels and programs like Top of the Pops and VJ had maximum viewership. This was the time, according to him, when a lot of singers were promoted and became household names. "For them it was overnight success. Most of the famous singers sprung up in that span of three years. Then with the opening of other channels and cable there was a gap for five years.

People today are more into channel surfing, they don't have time. They will just see something that catches their fancy. I feel that if I have succeeded at a time like this, it is only due to my talent and sheer hard work," he explains. Jawad entered the music scene after a gap of five years and his "Kehndi ai Saiyaan", became an instant hit. The path to success was however not that easy, his first four videos were made by his own investment, but for airing he got sponsorship.

It was only after the initial response that he got sponsorship from a big multi-national. One of the reasons for the success of his Punjabi songs with the educated classes, is that his lyrics are decent and there is no cheapness in them, something that has become a common feature in popular Punjabi music. "When I am writing lyrics, I draw the line and think whether I should use this particular word or not. If I feel that it is vulgar I do not use it. I want to make one thing very clear, that I will not do vulgar music even if it makes me a millionaire," he says vehemently.

What about other singers who are singing songs like these? "Probably the music they do is more far reaching, but then for me it is a question of morality. Other singers are also very popular with the masses and to some of them I am a big threat, since I am also doing Punjabi music. Lack of education has resulted in lack of discrimination between good and bad, people like superficial things. If today I do songs like "meri voile di Qameez", it will be a great hit but I will not, because I do not approve of it.

People from rural areas will be more attracted to this kind of music, but here I feel lies the difference between me and other artists. I cannot see things superficially, if on one hand I am talking about education for children and on the other hand singing songs that are not suitable for them, I will be a hypocrite. Since a lot of my fans are kids I want to write songs that are suitable for them as well as for older people," says Jawad. An artist according to him has to be very careful of the impression he makes on children, because they can be disappointed in him when they grow up.

"I am in the process of making new songs and have recently launched my Army video. Punjabi music is in my blood, I consider myself a self-taught musician. A lot of people have come into music, but I have used it as a learning ground. Singers like Amanat Ali Khan, Tufail Niazi, Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hassan, Kishore and Lata have been a source of inspiration for me. Salamat Ali Khan is also a great favorite of mine. I feel that I have that level of comprehension where I can understand their music. Technically, I feel that Sajjad Ali and Najam Shiraz are very sound. Good music I feel, needs substance and essence," remarks Jawad.

"Jupiters were the ones who did the first Punjabi hit song. My first album had only one Punjabi song, the others were spiritual and national songs. It was creative music, the second one is more beat oriented and is aesthetically more beautiful. In my first album "Kehndi ai Saiyaan", was a big hit. The second one has five Punjabi songs. It is more relevant to people's lives and is embedded in our daily routine. Although they are not as deep as the spiritual songs I have sung, but they attract more people.

I follow my own trend in music, my music is not superficial or funny. It is also message oriented, for example in my song "Bunto ki Jan". I have portrayed a typical scene in which a young man leaves his village and comes to the city. When the lights of the city beckon him to stay there forever, he in his guilt remembers the girl who is still waiting for him to come back. This gives the younger generation a message, that instead of leaving the place where they were born and brought up, they need to think of ways of making their life in the very same place," explains Jawad.

"I would rather be popular than famous, there are so many people who are famous but are not very popular. For me, popularity is the main thing," he says. His popularity with children is evident in the fact that he has been recently appointed as Ambassador for Polio Eradication in Pakistan by The Ministry of Health and UNICEF. Pakistan, according to him is one of the five countries of the world where polio is still present and the basic cause is over-population. He further add, "Pakistan has 30 to 40 percent cases of polio, whereas our aim is to reduce it to zero.

There is a huge refusal rate for polio drops. We plan to run six to seven campaigns, so that children are given polio drops again and again. The reason why they have appointed me, is so that the refusal rate becomes less. By using a commercially acclaimed person, there is a sense of positivity and a feeling of trust.

"Taleem for All" is his slogan, as well as the name of the Trust he has made for education. "We need to address the root cause of our problems and lack of education and a low literacy rate is one of them. I feel as artists we have a wider canvas for working. Our main aim should be towards nation building and infusing a true spirit of nationalism among kids. Education today has become a business, and the commitment is missing and that has resulted in a lack of awareness of the core issues and the true values of life.

I want children to be more humane. This project will take twenty to twenty-five years to bear fruit. I am not working for instant recognition and personal benefit. I feel that I can only make a little bit of a difference as a human being, but I want people to help me work towards the solution of this cause," says Jawad.

Is this decision influenced by the fact that both his parents are into education? "Partly yes, it is true that since both of them taught political science, there was a lot of awareness amongst us for the core issues faced by Pakistan. This gave me the incentive that the basic problems we are facing are lack of community development and education." Jawad strongly feels that most of the NGO's are doing superficial work and are not addressing the basic problems. In my project "Taleem for All," I am planning to start training camps for teachers so that they can work towards making their students more humane and more conscious of the issues, basically to increase their level of awareness.

He strongly feels that Pakistan is going through a progressive phase and this is the time when we can think progressively. Everybody should work within their own capacity. "I do not believe in hollow slogans of doing good deeds. The Government alone cannot tackle all the problems. We have to chip in, if all of us work within our own capacity, one day we will be united for one cause," he says with conviction.

Jawad has also written the music for a film directed by Shan "It was a great experience as well as a big risk, but luckily all the songs were big hits. It was a big privilege for me as I was entering an unknown arena. A lot of people wanted me to fail, but luckily it went well. It made the careers of new singers like Shabnam Majeed, Naghmana Jaffery and Sumaira Shahzad. Pop artists are generally not asked to compose music for films as there is a lot of money, involved in it. It is a question of capability. When Shan offered me the job, I was initially very hesitant, considering it was a big project but he gave me a free hand. He is an excellent director and we have become good friends," he adds.

Jawad is always on the move. With one foot in Lahore and the other in various other cities, life is a whirlwind of activities for him. Where is the time for yourself. To that he replies with a sigh, 'I used to be a fitness freak, but now I just do not have the time. I am planning to cut down and take some time out for myself. After all how could I have been successful, had I not worked hard, he asks. I am more into friends and family. I do not interact with many new people. my friends have been with me for years.

I somehow cannot interact with people with whom I feel that my frequency does not match," he says. Listening to music and watching movies are his hobbies. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are his favorite actors. Among his favorite singers are Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd, Bryan Adams, Beatles, Julio Iglasias and Michael Jackson. According to Jawad one can learn a lot from Michael Jackson, who he feels, has a great vocal technique.

What about marriage, any plans? Not yet, right now I am married to my work and the education project. It is a big commitment and I don't want to get into it half-heartedly. I will do it when the right time comes. Family, especially kids, need time and that is something I don't have right now," he says with conviction.

Although it took six months to arrange an interview with workaholic Jawad Ahmed, while he was flitting between different cities and countries, but it was a real treat to see that this polite and humble person despite being the most sought after singer in the country these days, has his feet firmly on the ground. Three cheers for him and we wish him success in his future ventures in music and education.