In response to a request from Salma Agha, the Home Ministry has made it formal by announcing "We have decided to grant her the OCI card after following the due procedure."
Pakistani-British singer and actress Salma Agha will be entitled to receive an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card. This will enable her to avail the benefit of multiple entry and multi-purpose lifelong visa. By virtue of this she can visit India and also not be subject to reporting to police.
The news and statement of the official of Home Ministry was confirmed by news media including Times of India. Coinciding with the formal announcement by the Home Ministry about grant of OCI card to Salma Agha of Nikaah fame, she had a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh to thank him for approving the request.
Agha had applied for the OCI card a few days ago and her application was approved after taking into consideration various aspects, officials said. The 59-year-old artist is a citizen of United Kingdom.
As per rules, a foreign national who is a child, grandchild or a great grandchild of Indian citizen is eligible for registration as OCI card holder. There are few other conditions to get OCI card.
An important aspect to note is that no person, who or either of whose parents, grandparents or great grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan and Bangladesh shall be eligible for registration as an OCI card holder.
Agha, in her request, claimed that though she was born in Pakistan, she is a British citizen and hence, her request should be looked into. There are similar cases where such facility was granted and include Katrina Kaif (UK citizen), Deepti Naval (US citizen) and Yana Gupta (Czech citizen).
Salma acknowledged that she receives a lot of love and adulation from India. She also stated that she could have become Indian citizen anytime as her forefather’s hail from Punjab’s Amritsar city.
Pakistani origin actor and singer Salma Agha is likely to get a lifetime Indian visa.
