Not many in Pakistan are happy with former Pakistani singer Adnan Sami for changing his nationality from Pakistan to India in 2015 but they don’t know the real story behind his decision either. The singer has recently revealed that he had actually applied for the renewal of his Pakistani passport at Pakistani High Commission in India but upon inquiry, the commission informed him that his passport will not be renewed. Sami had no other option but to apply for Indian citizenship.
In a recent interview to BBC Urdu in London, Sami told that he has been living in Mumbai, India for last eighteen years, and he has found a place where he feels comfortable and where people love him a lot.
In a reply to a question that why he changed his citizenship when Pakistan too gave him a lot respect and love, he told that it is his personal matter. “Wherever I choose to live, it is my personal right,” he shared. “On the Day of Judgment, God will not assemble Americans on one side, Pakistanis on the other and Indian on one instead He will see everyone with the same eye,” he added.
He told that people migrate to other countries according to their work. “I am a musician, a composer, and concentrate on Asian music. Where is the capital of that?” he stopped after leaving a question.
The BBC journalist reminded Sami that he was working in India with Pakistani passport for a long time and asked what made him apply for Indian citizenship. On that, he revealed that his Pakistani passport was about to expire, he submitted an application in Pakistani High Commissioner in India but received no answer. “When I inquired about the delay that why my passport is not being renewed, I was politely informed that my passport could not be renewed from there,” he told.
He informed that there came a time when he was without any citizenship and he thought that he might get kicked from India. “I contacted Interior Ministry in India. They issued me the permit for permanent residence. It was just like taking asylum,” told Sami. When I saw that situation, I submitted an application for Indian citizenship and for that, I had to renounced my Pakistani citizenship,” he added.
Adding to that, Sami also told that he understand the sentiments of Pakistani people and his relation with them is still intact. “You have to understand that how I reached to that point,” he said. “My relation with Pakistani people who have given me a lot love, is still alive but the way government treated me, was provocative factor,” he added.
Adnan Sami Khan’s first wife Zeba Bakhtiar and their son Azaan Sami still live in Pakistan. Azaan is following the footstep of his father and producing music for films.
