Pakistan

Adnan Sami applies again for Indian citizenship

The 43-year-old singer, whose first request was rejected two years back, sends application to India’s home ministry

Aditi Phadnis March 02, 2015

The 43-year-old singer, whose first request was rejected two years back, sends application to India’s home ministry. PHOTO: FILE

NEW DEHLI:

Unfazed by his first unsuccessful attempt, renowned Pakistani singer Adnan Sami has applied for Indian citizenship for a second time.

The 43-year-old singer - whose first request was rejected some two years back - has sent his application to the foreigners’ division of India’s home ministry. “His application is under consideration,” said officials.

Last month, the home ministry had asked the law ministry as to whether Sami can be granted Indian citizenship. The law ministry refused to entertain the request, saying that the power of granting Indian citizenship lies with the home ministry under the Citizenship Act, but offered to help the home ministry with interpreting any provision of the law to enable it to decide Sami’s case.

Under the Indian Citizenship Act, a foreigner is entitled to receive citizenship provided he or she has rendered distinguished service to the cause of science, philosophy, art, literature, world peace or human progress.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2015.

COMMENTS (36)

Jai | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: Full Disclosure : I am a former Indian Citizen, but a naturalized American Citizen and very proud of my status. However, today Indian Citizenship is very prized (if you are in the upper middle class) because of several reasons 1) India is THE fastest growing major (large) economy in the world. 2) Indian Personal Income tax are among the lowest in the world (compared to US and especially UK) 3)Healthcare is top-notch and much better than in UK 4) Improving quality of life - people are living longer. 5)Retirement is much easier in India than in UK or US But it comes with some disadvantages 1) India doesn't support dual-citizenship -so he will land up needing to get visa for travel to many places 2) Traffic and congestion will drive you mad. Adnan Sami's motivations are not known to me.. but he does deserve to be given an indian citizenship - considering the contributions.

indian | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: see.. who's talking!

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hzr | 9 years ago | Reply @zafar: SOUR GRAPES!

someone | 9 years ago | Reply @Ali S: In that case he would have to renounce British Citizenship. India does not allow dual citizenship.

Amit Lunia | 9 years ago | Reply Last year many Afghanis, Bangladeshis, Nigerians, Englishmen, Pakistanis took Indian Citizenship Many Indian took citizenship of Canada, USA, Australia, England, Germany, etc India is not the best country in the world India is not the worst country in the world Each man to his own calling....!

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply His request should be approved.

GS@Y | 9 years ago | Reply This is for purely commercial reasons. He wants to keep more of his earnings, invest them without being fettered by regulations on foreigners, and own property, etc. There's no India-Pakistan dimensions here.

AK Murthy | 9 years ago | Reply What is the big thing about this? This man loves India and the secular nature of the country. He is free to pursue his passion and he can also make lots of money. All this is possible only in India and so we should grant him Indian Citizenship ASAP.

Yo2Da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @BruteForce: That's all well and good. But the "we do not forget our roots" is a bit troubling, especially for those seeking naturalization in any Western country, including the US. What happened to immigrating because of love of the host country, its people, and its culture? The problem Western countries are facing with their unassimilable Muslim and other non-Western immigrants is that these folks do not love the West, their people or their culture. They are consigned to ghettoes where their own homelands are kept alive as if they never left. These ghettoes will become no-go zones and eventually a threat to peace and security. They went for economic reasons and that, my friend, is not enough. (By "unassimilable" I do not include those Muslim and other non-Western immigrants who ARE assimilated into societies they went willingly to. They do not maintain one foot in the new country and one in the old.)

BruteForce | 9 years ago | Reply @Parvez: It is India and we are proud. We need more Indians in the most powerful country in the world, which is also a Democracy. We share the same values. We are already the riches ethnicity in the US. Our income is double than that of an average American. People of Indian origin are going places. Who is the CEO of Microsoft? We need USA as an ally of India, not the other way around. And, Indians NEVER forget their roots. We are wealthy, knowledgeable and powerful in the most powerful country in the world with the biggest Economy in the world, with the most advanced technology. Trust me, this is a very good thing.

Yo2Da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @zafar: You must have been gazing lovingly into a mirror while writing that comment. :-)

Yo2Da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @Sharjeel Jawaid: Should the children's lives be affected by what their parents did? Wouldn't that be considered unfair and almost like a "caste" system - unable to escape one's birth circumstances? Even Mr. Jinnah's daughter and grandson lived in India after 1947. People should live their own lives and not meddle in lives of others.

Yo2Da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @Parvez: Not only the US, for your information, The largest immigrant group in Australia is Indian. With 1.25 billion people (versus China's 1.4 billion), ya gotta put these people someplace. The writing is on the wall for poor fast growing populated countries (as well as for our planet): The environment degradation, climate change, and density, frequent conflicts due to shrinking resources is coming fast. Countries like Pakistan (grew from 30 million to 180 million in 67 years; versus India which grew from 325 million to 1.25 billion during the same time period), most Muslim majority countries in Middle East and Africa are growing faster than their economies or resources can support face the same future as the two Leviathans, China and India. Adnan Sami and other rich folk can easily jump from one to another country; but for how long?

Yo2Da2 | 9 years ago | Reply @Ali S: I was not aware of triple citizenships (Pakistani, British, and now application for Indian citizenship in Sami's case). In my opinion dual citizenship is an abomination as it legitimizes split loyalties, or worse, no loyalties. For people like Adnan Sami, who have name recognition and fan following, what difference does it make anyway as he can travel anywhere he wants to.

Kushal | 9 years ago | Reply ET: What are the parameters on the basis of which you are allowing the comments to publish. You are allowing racist and hate filled comments from Pakistanis, but refraining us from giving them a befitting reply. Has the amounts in pay cheques issued from Rawalpindi has changed?

Saira Khan | 9 years ago | Reply @zafar: I double that. Indians are just mostly inferiority complexed wannabe goras, with a heightened sense of over confidence.

zafar | 9 years ago | Reply @Sam: The way Indians generalize everything to address their inner inferiority complex brings a smile on my face. Slave nation. Bollywood is nothing but a cheap copy of Hollywood. Deprived of art, totally fixated on vulgarity and skin show (which in turn causes desperation and that manifests into rapes unfortunately). In the quest to become dark goras you people have lost your identity because the subcontinent culture doesn't associate itself with Western values. The second biggest country in the world (in terms of population) with a massive identity crisis.

Faraz | 9 years ago | Reply Idiot!! he should be banned to enter or visit Pakistan for good.

Gogo | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: Hahahahha... Hillarious comment bro... exactly my sentiments

wb | 9 years ago | Reply @Ali S: I don't think you understand Indian citizenship. If he becomes an Indian citizen (which I absolutely don't want him to), he will have to shed all other citizenry. Is he willing to give up his British passport for an Indian passport? Well, then I guess properly in India must be more lucrative than property in London.

Sun Tzu | 9 years ago | Reply Grant him Indian Citizenship - provided he promises to remain secular.

Gp65 | 9 years ago | Reply @Parvez: In absolute numbers yes, but not in terms of percentage of population by a long shot. Emigration as a percentage of population is much higher in Pakistan. Also even for absolute numbers, those seeking asylum are much higher from Pakistan than from India. @TooTrue: India is the biggest source of income for him.

Defence Analyst | 9 years ago | Reply @Parvez I believe you mean 'India'. But let me tell you one small yet significant difference between being an 'immigration seeker' and between an 'asylum seeker'. And in that record (of being asylum seekers), no one can beat Pakistanis. Atleast Indians are mostly loved & treated with respect in the countries they migrate to, whereas Pakistanis are looked at with disdain and well..there's too many things to say, but I'll refrain. I'd very much like to highlight one small thing though: No one likes followers of a radical ideology living in their country, and we all know which ideology is that and which country is famous for exporting such radicals (to put it mildly) all over the world.

Sharjeel Jawaid | 9 years ago | Reply His father served PAF as Squadron Leader. Had the distinction of flying maximum number of hours during 1965 war with India. Was awarded Sitar e Jura't at Pakistan Day Parade of March 23, 1966. Subsequently severed as ADC to The President of Pakistan having being selected by Ayub Khan himself for the assignment. I find the information shocking and disgraceful.

Ali S | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: He already is a British citizen. I'm assuming he wants to own property in India that's why he's applying for citizenship - I don't blame him

Amir | 9 years ago | Reply This is an insult to the honor and dignity of Pakistan.

Mozart | 9 years ago | Reply India, please give him citizenship, we beg you.

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply @Sam: Can you guess who after the Chinese are the largest number of Asian immigration seekers in the USA ?

Saif | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: Lol ..feeling jealous ..u r talkin about a country who has just overtaken China as fastest growing economy in the world ...where people from Australia ,UK, America come to work in their IT companies and research labs...where sportsperson of so called advanced countries come to earn their living ..bet it hockey,football,cricket,badminton,kabbadi etc just wait for 10 years from now many Westerners will start applying for Indian citizenship !

sanjeev | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: He has seen both Pakistan and India and he has first hand information about both the countries and does not have to depend on propaganda. His action speaks louder than words what is the reality of Pakistan and India.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply @TooTrue: Gelusil is supposed to help in your condition. Mr.Adnan Sami, you're welcome to live in India. I enjoy your music and I am an admirer.

kanjar | 9 years ago | Reply She should be tried for treason.

Sam | 9 years ago | Reply Looking at the rate, at which Pakistani artists and sportsmen are coming to India, it is clear that many Pakistanis want to move to India. If India opens its citizenship gate, half of the Pakistan would be in the line, just as they are lined up at Srilanka, Uzbekistan, Kazakistahan and so manysmall or big European countries. Anything but Pakistan.

Ishan | 9 years ago | Reply I never thought he wasn't an Indian.

First | 9 years ago | Reply Definetaly he has contributed to human progress - Like me many others are fan of his songs for the mostly south indian films - Peace of Mind.

TooTrue | 9 years ago | Reply Indian citizenship? Who'd want to be one of those ugly, starving and beleaguered billion? If you're jumping ship seek a citizenship of a country worthy of it.

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