Rahat Fateh Ali Khan issues Apology amid controversy over physical altercation with student

Renowned Pakistani playback and Qawwali singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan issued an apology on Saturday after a video depicting him physically assaulting his student went viral, sparking widespread condemnation on social media. In the footage, the artist can be seen using shoes and slapping the employee over a missing “bottle.”

In response to the public outcry, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan later released a remorseful video in which he described the incident as a “personal matter between a teacher and his student.” He identified the student as Naveed Hasnain, the individual subjected to punishment in the original video. Hasnain, standing alongside his teacher in the video, explained that the controversial “bottle” contained water sanctified by a pir, and he had misplaced it, leading to the altercation.

“He is my father and my teacher. He loves us a lot too. Whoever has done this act [of leaking the video] is blackmailing to defame my teacher,” Hasnain added. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan acknowledged his mistake and mentioned that he sought forgiveness from Hasnain immediately after the incident.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the nephew and grandson of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is a highly acclaimed singer who has been honored with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz. In 2019, Oxford University conferred upon him an honorary degree, recognizing his contributions as a Pakistani vocalist, primarily in Qawwali. The institution credited him with over 50 albums, more than one billion online views, over 50 title tracks for television serials, and over 100 songs for both Hollywood and Bollywood films.