Pak asks India to immediately release Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

“Our High Commissioner (in Delhi) spoke with Indian acting Foreign Secretary Vivek Katju this morning again,insisting the protective custody be lifted,” APP quoted a statement from the Foreign Office as saying.

There was no official word from the Indian High Commission.

The 37-year-old nephew of legendary Pakistani qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Indira Gandhi International Airport yesterday on the charge that he was carrying USD 124,000 that he had not declared.

The Foreign Office is closely monitoring Khan’s case and the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi has set up a special team to liaise with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence,which has detained the singer.

According to the Foreign Office,Indian authorities have released 12 members of Rahat’s team but three people,including the singer,are still being detained,APP reported.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik yesterday asked Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Delhi Shahid Malik to inquire about Khan’s detention.

Earlier in the day,Pakistan stepped up efforts to seek Rahat’s release and sought consular access to the singer.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir had also called Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Sharat Sabarwal and discussed the matter around midnight Sunday,Geo News channel reported.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik also called Pak envoy in New Delhi Shahid Malik and directed him “to provide necessary legal and other consular help to Rahat”,according to news reports.

Rahat was extensively questioned on Monday by revenue intelligence officials regarding the over USD 1 lakh recovered from his possession.

“The DRI officers found altogether 124,000 USD which is equivalent to about Rs 60 lakhs. 24,000 USD were found from the baggage carried by Rahat while the remaining 50,000 USD each were found from the baggage of two troupe members,” Central Board of Excise and Customs Chairman S Dutt Majumdar had said.

The recovered foreign currency included USD 10,000 and USD 8,600 in demand drafts,sources had said.

Rahat and his entire troupe of 16,including his manager Maroof and event manager,were detained.

The troupe was on in its way to Lahore via Dubai by an Emirates flight.

Rahat is quite a rage on both sides of the border and has sung several Bollywood hits. He recently won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for ‘Dil To BachchaHai Ji’ from the movie ‘Ishqiya’.