Nusrat continued to perform qawwali in religious rites–the original form in which qawwali is sung–at mausoleums of revered saints in Pakistan, which at the same time giving concerts at more conventional venues. In 1979, he was accorded the rare honor of performing inside one of the most prestigious shrines in the subcontinent, the shrine of Sufi Saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, India. The superb singing talent and musical skill of this great master of qawwali, along with his strong command of Urdu, Farsi (Persian), and his native language, Punjabi, have enabled him to sing the mystic poetry written in these languages with fluency and expressiveness. He is also famous for his unparalleled repertoire, which extends to several thousands of songs. In appreciation of his excellence, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the President’s Pride of Performance in Art in 1987.