Earlier in the day, Pakistan urged India to immediately release Rahat Fateh Ali Khan from ‘protective custody.' While Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir spoke to Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal on Sunday night itself, the Foreign Office in the morning called for his release.
Soon after news broke about the detention of the singer, Interior Minister Rehman Malik spoke to Pakistan's High Commissioner in India Shahid Malik and asked him to meet Indian officials and “make every possible effort to get the singer released as soon as possible after fulfilling legal requirements.”
Earlier on Monday, Mr. Shahid Malik spoke to Indian acting Foreign Secretary Vivek Katju insisting that the protective custody be lifted.
Mr. Malik also sent two officials to the DRI office to meet Mr. Khan and pursue the matter, but they were not allowed to meet the singer.
