One Pound Fish singer to perform in France, gets visa

LONDON: Muhammad Shahid Nazir has been given French visa within a day after applying for it to appear in one of the most popular shows of the European country.
Speaking to The News from Lahore, the singer who rose to worldwide fame with his catchy ditty “One Pound Fish” said he will be appearing in the Le Grand Journal show. It is believed that Pakistani renegade singer’s music label Warner Music supported former fish-seller from east London’s Queen’s Market in his visa bid.
Shahid Nazir left the UK in the end of December amid speculations that he was being booted out of the country by the UK immigration authorities for overstaying in the country. Several columns have been written on this aspect, including many leading commentators questioning why the government was quick in booting out a singer, who brought smiles and joy to millions of people near Christmas 2012, while convicted terror radicals such as Jordanian Abu Qatada and many other convicts continued to enjoy Britain’s hospitality.
Shahid Nazir, who has become a household name in Britain and was first of all covered on Geo television and this newspaper, told The News: “I am going to appear in France’s biggest show. It’s anyone’s dream to appear in this show but I believe it’s Allah’s special blessing that I have been given visa without any hesitation. France has shown respect to my country and I am thankful to the French authorities for being kind towards me and allowing me a chance to meet my French fans.”
The singer will leave for France on 7th January and will stay there for a week. Upon his return to Pakistan, the singer will apply for British visa and hopes that Britain will issue him visa quickly. Since his return to Pakistan in the end of December, Britain’s main television channels BBC, Channel 4 News and Sky News have run packages on the singer, focusing on the hero’s reception he received from his fans and friends in Pakistan. He was carried on shoulders by his fans at Lahore airport who chanted “One Pound Fish, Zindabad”.
Shahid told The News that reports about deportation from Britain were false and media was only guessing about it. “I live and worked in Britain legally and there is no question of breaking the law of the land that gave me so much love and fame. What happened to me could have only happened in Britain and I will always be thankful to the British public for their affection.”
Shahid Nazir’s song has been watched by nearly 12 million people so far and everyday more than 200,000 people are watching the official song. It is believed Warner Music is making arrangements to take Nazir to America where he will duet with the likes of Timberland and other rap music stars.