Famed singer Mehdi Hassan dead at 84

Pakistan's beloved classical singer Mehdi Hassan died in a Karachi hospital Wednesday after a long illness, said his son Asif. He was 84. Asif told reporters his father had been suffering from multiple lung, chest and urinary tract conditions when his health suddenly deteriorated, Pakistan's Dawn News reported. Mehdi Hasan's body was taken to Karachi's Gulberg area where family members, friends and fans had gathered, the report said. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani described Hassan as "an icon who mesmerized music lovers." No details regarding the singer's funeral have been announced.