The 84-year-old legendary singer, who was admitted to the intensive care unit of Agha Khan Hospital some days ago, "passed away at 12:22 pm after a long battle against different ailments," his son Arif Hassan said.
"My father had been ill for the past 12 years and had multiple lung, chest and urinary tract ailments," Arif said.
Hundreds of fans gathered at the hospital on learning of the death of Hassan, the voice behind evergreen numbers like 'aaye kuchh abr kuchh sharaab aaye'; 'dil-e-nadan tujhe hua kya hai' and 'dil ki baat labon par laakar'.
Hassan, who would have turned 85 on July 18, cut back on his performances in the late 1980s due to illness and had been in and out of hospital over the past three years.
The music maestro, who married twice, is survived by 14 children -- nine sons and five daughters. His wives predeceased him.
News of his death triggered an outpouring of grief in both Pakistan and India as the singer had millions of fans on both sides of the border.
His end came eight months after the demise of iconic Indian ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, who was highly influenced by Hassan.
Pakistan Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani described Hassan as "an icon who mesmerised music lovers not only in Pakistan but also in the subcontinent for many decades."
In India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed deep grief and said Hassan had "brought the subcontinental Sufi sensibilities to life through his songs." (More)
