Why Pakistan Muslims bother us, but Dubai Muslims don't: Mika Singh

Singer Mika Singh has spoken about his connection with Pakistan and the people he met during his 2019 visit to the country. While recalling how Muslims in Pakistan helped look after gurudwaras, Mika made a pointed remark about how people perceive Pakistani Muslims compared with Muslims in Dubai.

“Don’t know why Pakistani Muslims bother us, but Dubai Muslims don’t,” Mika said during a conversation on Baatein Dil Se With Navika Kumar podcast. He also said that Pakistan and its people were not inherently bad, recalling the warmth he experienced during his visit to the country.

He also spoke about the support he had seen from local Muslims at Sikh religious sites in Pakistan. “When I went to Pakistan, many Muslims who are our brothers have served at the gurdwaras and helped with the cleaning,” Mika said.

He went on to speak about Guru Nanak Dev and the way his legacy is viewed by different communities. Mika then made an observation about Pakistan and its Muslim population.

“Pakistan is not bad. The people of Pakistan are not bad at all. I just don’t know why Pakistan’s Muslims seem bad to us. But Dubai’s Muslims are very acceptable. I have never understood this,” he said.

In the interview, the singer was asked about his views on Pakistan, particularly after discussing Diljit Dosanjh and his work involving Pakistani artistes. Mika said he did not have a problem with Pakistani singers performing in India. He also defended artistes who travel to Pakistan to perform, arguing that they should not necessarily be criticised for doing so.

“I have no problem with Pakistani singers. When they come here, everyone stands up for them. Bollywood welcomes every Pakistani singer,” Mika said.

He added that there was a difference between travelling to Pakistan for a private performance and promoting such a visit publicly.

“If you go there for a private function, perform, take your money and come back to India, that is different. You are not hiding when you go there. You are travelling by flight and the whole world can see it,” he said.

Mika then explained why he has a personal connection with Pakistan. He said the presence of important Sikh religious sites there makes the country emotionally significant to him.

“Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib are there. There are three very important gurdwaras in Pakistan,” he said. For the unversed, Nankana Sahib is located in Lahore, while Gurdwara Panja Sahib is near Islamabad in Pakistan.

Mika recalled feeling that he was being “called” to Pakistan when he received an invitation to perform there. “For me, it is not about money. The first thought is that I can reach the gurdwara through this,” he said.

His comments came during a wider discussion about his experience of Pakistan and the difference between people in the country and perceptions surrounding India-Pakistan relations. Mika also recalled that he had travelled to Pakistan before the Uri attack and said he had gone there openly after obtaining a visa. He argued that performing there should not automatically be viewed as a political act.

He said he was particularly happy when Indian artistes receive respect in Pakistan.

“If Pakistanis are giving me respect, we should be happy about it. At least there is someone who is going there and performing,” Mika said.When Mika Singh was banned for performing in Pakistan

Mika Singh had faced a ban from the Indian film industry in 2019 after he performed at a pre-wedding event in Karachi, Pakistan, on August 8 that year. The event was reportedly organised by a close relative of former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. A video from the performance later surfaced online, triggering backlash, with Indian film bodies accusing the singer of putting money before national interest at a time when relations between India and Pakistan were tense.

The All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) and Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) subsequently announced a boycott of Mika and barred him from professional work in the industry.

The ban, however, was lifted later that month after Mika apologised. He maintained that the event had been a professional commitment finalised much before the political developments surrounding Article 370 and said his presence in Pakistan at that time was coincidental.

On August 21, 2019, Mika apologised at a press conference attended by FWICE officials and assured them that he would not repeat the mistake. Following his apology, FWICE withdrew the ban, allowing him to resume work in the Indian entertainment industry.

Mika's current remarks come as part of a broader conversation about music, artistes and the complicated relationship between India and Pakistan.- Ends