Pak artistes will need Culture Ministry's NOC for foreign shows following Rahat fiasco

Islamabad, Feb 25(ANI): In the backdrop of Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's detention in New Delhi for violating India's customs laws, Pakistan's Interior Ministry has announced that the country's artistes will need to take permission from the Culture Ministry before visiting any other country.

Responding a point of order in the National Assembly, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the ministry has finalised a new policy, under which artistes will have to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Culture Ministry before visiting any foreign country.

The Interior Ministry has said that it will not issue any NOC to artistes after March 15, as they will have to apply to the Culture Ministry for approval, The Express Tribune reports.

Under the new mechanism that will be introduced in a few days, there will be a check on the visits of Pakistani artists to other countries.

An updated passport form with additional columns will also be released, requiring visa seekers to submit their detailed particulars as practiced in developed countries, Malik said.

Earlier this month, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was charged with violating India's Foreign Exchange Management Act and customs rules, and had to pay a fine of 33,216 dollars for trying to smuggle large quantities of cash out of the country. (ANI)