ISLAMABAD - Fans celebrated on Tuesday the 67th birthday of famous playback singer Naheed Akhtar also known as the “Nightingale of Pakistan”. Born on September 26, 1956, in Multan Naheed Akhtar’s ca­reer began in the 1970s when she sang a duet with Khalid Asghar in “Raag Malhar” at Radio Pakistan Multan. She has recorded songs in a range of styles, including Pakistani film music, pop, Ghazal, tra­ditional Pakistani classical music, Punjabi folk songs, Qawwalis, Naat and Hamds, and others. She was first dis­covered for films in the mid-1970s by veteran music di­rector M. Ashraf who pursued her to sing in films. M. Ashraf played a key role in grooming her talent. Her first film as a playback singer “Nanha Far­ishta” was released in 1974 and in the same year, she sang songs in the blockbuster Shama. She was active in the Pakistani film industry all the way through the 1980s. Overall as a playback singer, Naheed Akhtar has lent her voice to about 600 songs in over 430 Urdu and Punjabi films. She is considered one of the greatest female singers who ruled Lollywood during the 70s and 80s.