New Delhi: Famous Pakistani singer Adnan Sami has been allowed to stay in India on humanitarian grounds till further orders, an Indian union minister said on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday informed the Indian Lower House that the singer was exempted from deportation proceedings under section 3 of the Foreigners Act.

‘...in pursuance of the powers conferred under section 3A of Foreigners Act, 1946 (31 of 1946), the central government being of the opinion that it is necessary and expedient in public interest to do so, hereby declared that provisions of clauses (c) and (e) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Foreigners Act 1946 and paragraph 11 of the Foreigners Order, 1948, shall not apply to Adnan Sami Khan, son of late Arshad Sami Khan, and he is exempted from deportation proceedings. This order shall remain valid until further orders are issued on the subject,’ the home ministry order said.

The 46-year-old singer, who gave hit songs like ‘Kabhi to nazar milao’ and ‘Lift karaa de’, had appealed for legalisation of his stay in the country in May this year.

He submitted a representation to the home ministry on 26 May 2015, requesting for his stay in India on humanitarian grounds.

Sami, who came to India on a visitor’s visa, had been staying in India since March 2001. His visa was extended from time to time, but as his passport expired in May this year and the Pakistani government refused to renew it, he was forced to request the Indian authorities to legalise his stay in the country on humanitarian grounds.