Ali Zafar lit up the stage in front of a massive crowd at Riyadh’s Al-Suwaidi Park on Thursday night, rocking out for Saudi Arabia’s “Global Harmony” event. This festival, part of Riyadh Season, celebrates the diversity of people and cultures across the kingdom, bringing together food, music, and traditions from places like Pakistan, India, and Malaysia.
With over 2.5 million Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, they’re the kingdom’s second-largest community, also sending the most remittances back home. Sharing his excitement on Instagram, Zafar posted some epic photos from “Pakistan Week,” which was kicked off by Pakistan’s ambassador, Ahmad Farooq. “Performing for over 130,000 people at the Global Harmony festival was incredible. The energy from Riyadh’s biggest desi crowd was amazing!” he wrote.
Opening with his hit “Masti,” Zafar instantly got the crowd hyped, but his performance of “Bachna Ae Haseeno” stole the night. The audience went wild, singing and swaying to the beat. He gave a shoutout to the Saudi media ministry, the Pakistani embassy, and his whole crew for making it an unforgettable night, saying he “can’t wait to be back.”