Mumbai: Adnan Sami has revealed that the Pakistani government didn’t allow him to visit the country to attend his mother’s funeral, refusing his visa application.
The singer, who gave up his Pakistani citizenship to become an Indian national in 2016, lost his mother Naureen Sami Khan a few months ago.
He approached the Pakistani and Indian government, expressing his desire to travel across the border for her last rites. The Indian government granted him permission, but Pakistani authorities refused, Sami said in an interview with India TV.
Adnan said his mother’s death was a shock for everyone in the family because she did not have any health issues.
“Maine yaha ki sarkaar se pucha main jana chahta hu toh apko koi objection to nahi. Unhone kaha, ‘Zahir hai, aapki maa ka inteqal hua hai, aapko zaroor jana chahiye’. Unki taraf se koi problem nahi tha (When I asked the Indian government that I want to go, do you have any objection? They said, ‘It is obvious, your mother has passed away, you must go’. There was no problem from their side),” said Adnan.
“Maine visa ke liye apply kiya, par unhone (Pakistan) refuse kar diya. Maine kaha, ‘Meri maa ka inteqal hua hai’. Phir bhi unhone mana kar diya. Main nahi ja saka. Maine unka poora janaza Whatsapp ke video pe dekha (I applied for visa, but they refused. I said, ‘My mother has passed away’. But they refused. I could not go. I saw her entire funeral on a WhatsApp video),” said an emotional Adnan.
The musician, now 53, first came to India on March 13, 2001, on a visitor’s visa with a validity of one year. His visa was extended from time to time.
Once Adnan’s Pakistani passport expired in 2015, it was not renewed. He then approached Indian government with the request to legalise his stay in India.
Adnan, who collaborated with Asha Bhosle for a collection of love songs ‘Kabhi To Nazar Milao’, was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2020.