A fresh war of words broke out on social media between singer Adnan Sami, who famously renounced his Pakistani citizenship to become an Indian national, and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry, amid rising tensions following India’s directive ordering Pakistani nationals to leave the country.
The controversy erupted after Fawad commented on Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s latest order, which directs all Pakistani citizens residing in India to depart by April 27. Medical visa holders have been given an extended deadline until April 29.
Taking a swipe at the Indian move, Fawad posted on X, “What about Adnan Sami?” — questioning whether the singer would also be asked to leave.
Sami, now a naturalised Indian citizen since 2016, did not take the comment lightly. Responding sharply, he called Fawad an “illiterate idiot” and reminded him that he had legally secured Indian citizenship years ago.
The exchange did not end there. Fawad retorted by reminding Sami of his origins, saying, “Adnan Sami is from Lahore.”
The former minister chimed in with a tongue-in-cheek comment: “Our very own Lahori Adnan Sami aisay lag rahay hein jaisey balooon se hawa nikal chuki hooo [Our very own Adnan Sami looks like all the air has been let out of a balloon]… get well soon @AdnanSamiLive.”
Sami shot back again, correcting him: “My roots are from Peshawar, not Lahore! To think that you were Minister of (Mis)Information and have no knowledge about any information!”
In a scathing follow-up, Sami added sarcastically, “Meri tho hawa nikal gaee — tu abhi bhi balloon hai [The air has been let out of me, but you are still a balloon]! And you were Minister of Science?”
The heated exchange comes in the backdrop of deteriorating Pakistan-India relations following the April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which resulted in the deaths of 26 Indian tourists.
In response, India suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals and directed all Pakistanis to leave the country by April 27. Medical visa holders have been allowed to stay until April 29.
Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that all existing Pakistani visas will be revoked, and any Pakistani staying beyond the deadline would be considered in violation of Indian immigration laws.
Adnan Sami, once a prominent figure in Pakistan’s music industry, moved to India in the early 2000s and formally acquired Indian citizenship in 2016. Over the years, he has often publicly expressed gratitude towards India, describing his shift as his “destiny.”
The recent online spat highlights the ongoing tensions not just at the diplomatic level, but also on cultural and social fronts between the two countries.
