HYDERABAD: Renowned singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was deported from the Hyderabad on Thursday when he reached at the city s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA).
Moments after landing at the airport, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was barred entry and asked to return to Abu Dhabi.
The singer was scheduled to perform at the iconic Taj Falaknuma Palace on New Year’s Eve however; after the unexpected incident, the event was rescheduled for 11 pm instead of 8 pm.
Immigration authorities at RGIA stated that as per the rules, Pakistani nationals can t enter India through Hyderabad as the legal ports of entry by air are only Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
“That s why the singer was asked to return to Abu Dhabi and travel to the city through the valid entry points,” the official said as quoted by The Times of India.
“If a Pakistani national enters through any other airport, except the four metros, his/her travel to India cannot be recorded. So it is mandatory that they stick to the four ports. This system has been put in place to monitor the movement of Pakistani nationals in and out of the country,” he added.
Inquiries by TOI revealed that soon after news of the singer s deportation spread, the event organizers managed to get a clearance from the concerned departments of the Union government, including the ministry of home affairs and made it possible for the Ustad to return to Hyderabad.
Khan took a flight to Delhi from Abu Dhabi later in the evening and then boarded a chartered flight to Hyderabad from the national capital.
The qawwali maestro had faced trouble with Indian authorities in 2011 as well, when he and his troupe were detained at the Delhi international airport for foreign exchange violations.
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