In an explicit interview, singer Adnan Sami said that Pakistan does not value its artistes. Adnan previously held a Pakistani passport and received Indian citizenship in 2015. In December, Adnan will complete three years of being Indian and the singer confessed that Pakistani trolls have been really cruel to him as he has been criticised ever since for 'abandoning' Pakistan.
Singer Adnan Sami was born in London, to Arshad Sami Khan a Pakistani official of Afghan Pashtun origin and his mother is originally from Jammu and Kashmir state in North India. "Pakistan doesn't value its artistes. I will get trolled for what I have said, but, that is the reality. It is unfortunate. Pakistan never valued Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab until English songwriter Peter Gabriel started collaborating with him. After that, the country suddenly realised that it has an amazing talent (in Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan). This is the story of a lot of artistes there," Adnan told mid-day.
mid-day also reports that Adnan had to struggle for a decade to receive Indian citizenship and was denied Pakistani citizenship first, after which he applied for Indian nationality. "The way the Pak government treated me is only testimony to the ill-treatment meted out to artistes. There was outrage against me. People were amazed that I had applied for citizenship in India. I don't give a damn about getting trolled. I have earned immense respect and love in India," Adnan added.
The 46-year-old singer also said that Pakistan should have condemned terror attacks against India. Pakistani artistes addressed Orlando and Munich attacks but did not speak a word about the Uri attack in India in 2016, Adnan said, expressing severe dissent.