Prolific singer Adnan Sami Khan to get Indian citizenship

Adnan Sami Khan is a Pakistani-born musician but he has stayed in India for an estimated decade-and-a-half. This August, the Indian government allowed him to stay in their country for an indefinite period, which brightened his prospects of securing Indian citizenship. Since Sami has relinquished his Pakistani passport, the attorney general of India and the Union home ministry is mulling granting him “citizenship by naturalization” in view of his “distinguished service to the cause of art”.

Adnan Sami had earlier sought exemption from deportation on humanitarian grounds, after his Pakistani passport had expired in May, due to it’s non-renewal. His appeal had been accepted by the Indian home ministry. This is what a senior official of the home ministry revealed to an Indian website:-

“The AG has tendered a favourable opinion on his citizenship request. Sami is eligible to be granted citizenship by naturalization under Section 6 of The Citizenship Act, 1955”, he said.

Adnan Sami had met with the Indian home minister, after his Pakistani passport had expired due to non-renewal. One of the reasons for the non-renewal of his passport was due to a marital dispute between him and his ex-wife Sabah Galadari, a U.A.E citizen. Adnan Sami is now married to his third wife Roya Faryabi, whereas he had divorced Sabah in 2012. Sami was also married to famous Pakistani actress Zeba Bakhtiar and he has a son with her named Azaan Sami Khan.

However, it would be interesting to witness how Shiv Sena would react to this news, keeping in mind the rightist Hindu group has been at odds recently with Pakistani artists. Shiv Sena was instrumental in cancelling Pakistani artists’ concerts in Mumbai and Pune recently, which included ghazal singer Ghulam Ali and pop icon Atif Aslam.

Lahore-based Adnan Sami had ventured to Indian in March 13, 2001 on a one-year visa and had stayed there ever since. His stay in the country had been extended in the country ever since then, from time-to-time.

Here is a tweet from the singer from today, who calls India his ‘home’ instead of Pakistan.

God had a plan… He made my Birthday 15th August! pic.twitter.com/NkSXeMRIeU

— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) October 24, 2015