Pakistan singer regrets turning down PM's offer

Pakistan classical singer Asad Amanat Khan of Patiala Gharana said that he regretted not accepting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's offer to return to India 24 years ago.

Mr Khan said Mr Vajpayee had made this offer when he visited Pakistan as India's External Affairs Minister in 1979.

''But I declined this attractive offer because of my love for Pakistan,'' he told newsmen in Multan recently, according to an Urdu daily Nawa-i-Waqt.

He said there was no appreciation for classical music in Pakistan.

''Here people who boast they never learnt music are a big commercial success in this music market,'' he said blaming the Pakistan Television for this trend.

He stated that he was compelled to leave Pakistan.

UNI