Highlights
- Mehreen Javed is a popular Pakistani community singer
- Her father, Javed Muhammad passed away during Sydney’s lockdown
- Mehreen’s family and friends couldn’t farewell Javed due to COVID restrictions
Javed Muhammad was a highly respected member of the Pakistani-Australian community who passed away in July this year.
His daughter, popular singer-musician Mehreen Javed, shares a personal account of her family’s grief and how they coped with losing a loved one during the COVID restrictions.
Mehreen, known for her performances especially at Pakistan’s Independence Day functions where she sings patriotic songs, could not perform this year.
The family was unable to visit the hospital where Javed was admitted and provide him with care and comfort in his last days due to Sydney’s COVID restrictions.
But she acknowledges the overwhelming support from the Pakistani-Australian community during the hardest time for the family.
Our culture is so rooted in taking care of each other and this process [of virtual condolence] has been so foreign and painful. Our friends cannot come and see us during this time
Mehreen recalled the support she received from her father in becoming a known name and face in the community.
Calling Javed the “biggest fan” of her music, she says he supported her decision to do a Masters in Research in music.
“He always took me to all my rehearsals, every recording I did and every event I had to perform at,” she added.
Music is Mehreen's passion. Source: Mehreen Javed
Mehreen remembers her days at university when she started the Pakistanis at Macquarie Society.
She often wanted to quit but her father frequently took annual leave to support her by taking for the shopping needed for the society stall.
“During his fourth hospitalisation, I remember he held my hand so tightly and reminded me of my three responsibilities: taking care of my mother if anything happened to him, retain my Islamic faith and be diligent with my duties as a Muslim, and work extremely hard to become the best musician in the world,” Mehreen recollected.
Till his last breath, he was a dedicated supporter of my music because he knew I was destined to bring people together with my talent
'During loss, this is one of the beauties to hear how loved my father was as a human being' Source: Mehreen Javed
The calls and messages really allowed us to hear the hidden stories that we didn’t know about my father
Irfan Iqbal, funeral director of Australian Muslim Janaza & Community Services, says the funeral of a COVID patient is considered a coroner’s case.
All ceremonies like funeral prayers and burial are arranged according to the coroner’s guidelines, where most family members are not allowed as they might identify as close contacts of the patient.
Irfan told SBS Urdu that being unable to farewell loved ones is difficult for every family but most community members understand that safety is prioritised over emotion in COVID-related deaths.
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