Pakistan refuses to revoke Adnan Sami's nationality: Report

ISLAMABAD: Singer Adnan Sami's efforts to become an Indian citizen have been jolted after Pakistani officials refused to issue "renunciation of citizenship certificate" to him over his alleged "disrespectful behaviour" towards his national identity, according to a media report.

Pakistani authorities have refused to issue the "renunciation of citizenship certificate" to Sami, a move which can hurt his efforts to become an Indian citizen, The Express Tribune reported.

The certificate is necessary for any Pakistani citizen who wants to adopt the citizenship of any other country.

In August, Sami was allowed to stay in India for an indefinite period following his appeal to legalise his stay in India on humanitarian grounds.

Pakistani officials dealing with his renunciation process were quoted as saying that the refusal came after the singer "threw away his nationality documents".

"Pakistan has refused to confirm renunciation of nationality by its India-based singer Adnan Sami over his alleged disrespectful behaviour towards his national identity," the daily said.

"Why would we issue the certificate to a man who has no respect for 'sacred' documents," a senior official was quoted as saying.

"I don't need the green passport anymore. I have found my home in India," the official quoted a line from a letter, said to have been written by Sami, attached with his Pakistani passport posted to Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi.

Officials said the Pakistani singer would now have to submit an unconditional apology for his behaviour and follow the correct procedure for getting the renunciation certificate, the report said.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 Pakistanis have renounced their citizenship this year alone. An estimated 3,400 cases of renunciation have been handled in the past five years, immigration officials recently told a parliamentary panel.