Ban on Rahat Fateh Ali in India lifted after four years

KARACHI: A ban imposed on vocal maestro and a noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in India has finally been lifted after four years.

Talking to ARY News via telephone, the iconic singer said India needed his skills, therefore he was feeling jubilant to make it to India.

He termed the case he faced in 2011 as baseless. During his talk with the ARY News, he also sang a song in his sensational voice.

Rahat was detained on February 13, 2011 at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport while reportedly carrying undeclared currency worth US $ 124,000. According to Indian law, a foreign national cannot carry beyond US $5,000 in cash and US $5,000 in other instruments. The person has to declare the amount to Customs Department if he/she is carrying more than the aforementioned amount.

However, Rahat was released after 28 hours of his detention after Pakistan asked India to immediately end the protective custody of the singer.

At the time of incident, Pakistani singers and artists had unanimously condemned Rahat’s arrest at the Delhi Airport for possessing undeclared money, saying that Rahat had not snatched that money from anyone but he actually earned it after a dozen shows in India.

It is pertinent to mention here that Rahat is a top Bollywood playback singer and has several hit numbers to his credit. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2011 for 'Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'.