M Ashraf

M. Ashraf or Muhammad Ashraf (1 February 1942 – 4 February 2007) was a Pakistani film composer.

In the early 1960s, he first started as one member of the music directors duo of Manzoor – Ashraf in the Pakistan film industry.

Early life and career Muhammad Ashraf was born in Lahore, British India inside the Bhati Gate area in 1942. M. Ashraf got music lessons from his 'Nana' (maternal grandfather who also happened to be a 'Mamu' (uncle) of veteran Pakistani music director Master Inayat Hussain (1916 – 26 March 1993). M. Ashraf first assisted his 'Mamu' (uncle) music director Akhtar Hussain Akhian for five years. He belonged to a known family of musicians in Pakistan with Ustad Tafu also being his cousin. Playback singer Ahmed Rushdi won his first Nigar Award for this film song "Meray Shauq Da Nahin Aetbar Teinun" Sung by Ghulam Ali, lyrics by Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, film Eik Thi Larki (1973) M. Ashraf also won 14 Graduate Awards of the Pakistan film industry.

Death and legacy M. Ashraf died of a cardiac arrest on 4 February 2007 in Karachi, Pakistan at the age of 65.

"He had the distinction of working with film directors such as S. Suleman, Nazrul Islam, M. Javed Fazil, Pervez Malik, Shamim Ara, Iqbal Akhtar, Jan Mohammad and Hasan Askari. And banking on his music, they all tasted success."

Even during M. Ashraf's lifetime and after his death, his son, M. Arshad has "emerged as a formidable musician" with hit films to his credit such as Bulandi (1990 film), Jeeva (1995 film), Dopatta Jal Raha Hai (1998 film), Jungle Queen (2000 film), Salakhain (2004 film). His two other sons are Nadeem Ashraf and Salman Ashraf.