The US Embassy in Islamabad has reportedly denied a visa to renowned singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, preventing his attendance at a concert.
The refusal is purportedly linked to alleged non-payment of taxes on income earned in the US spanning from 2015 to 2023.
As per embassy requirements, the singer must furnish IRS documentation detailing tax payments during the specified period and legal documents from Bollywood Event LLC. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan asserts that he fulfilled his tax obligations through his US promoters and has reached out to them to procure the necessary documents for submission to the embassy.
The 'O Re Piya' artist contends that he had previously visited the US this year and argues that if there were outstanding tax payments, the embassy would not have granted him a visa on that occasion.
Scheduled to travel to America on November 18 for a musical show organized by the Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's visa application, submitted by promoter Rehan Siddiqui, was rejected due to tax-related issues concerning the singer's US income from 2015 to 2023.
Documents reveal that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan had been sponsored by four different promoters during this period, and he maintains that his income from the concerts was subjected to tax deductions, making it the promoters' responsibility to settle the US taxes.
Speculation arises regarding a possible informant tipping off the US embassy about Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's tax affairs, with suspicions that the person could be someone close to the singer.
Rehan Siddiqui, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's new promoter in the US, acknowledges this as his first show with the artist and underscores their responsibility to address the singer's taxes, even in the absence of a granted visa.
