Saturday, January 02, 2016

We have to look ahead: Rahat after deportation episode

Hyderabad: After the deportation drama before his performance here, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan says he believes in letting bygones be bygones, adding that it was a "genuine error".

The singer, who arrived here from Abu Dhabi to participate in a programme as a part of the New Year's eve celebrations at Taj Falaknuma Palace, was sent back due to a goof up by the airlines.

Pakistani nationals are only allowed to enter the country through Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata but the organisers had booked the maestro to fly from Lahore to Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad and back on Etihad Airways. Hence, the singer was asked to go back.

"'Jo hua woh hua' (whatever happened, happened) and we have to look ahead. It was a genuine error of Etihad Airways and one would expect that an airline of that stature would have known about the entitlements of a Pakistani national before issuing my ticket and then allowing me to board," Rahat said in a statement.

The "Main jahaan rahoon" and "O re piya" singer added that he came back for the "wonderful audience", and he would have felt bad if the event would have been called off.
02/01/16 IANS/Business Standard
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