Iconic Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has sought to downplay a viral video that showed him purportedly thrashing a man brutely, whom he claimed was his disciple, with his shoe. The video has been posted by a user on X (formerly Twitter).
In the visuals, the popular Qawwali singer is seen slapping and hitting the man while enquiring about a bottle. “I have no idea about it”, the man is heard pleading with the singer.
Meanwhile, The singer later issued a clarification in a video on the microblogging site that featured the man who was beaten up.
He said in the video: “This concerns a private matter between Shagird and Ustad. He is like my kid. This is the nature of the relationship between a mentor and his follower. I show love to a disciple whenever he does something well. He faces consequences if he commits a transgression.”
The singer said that he had apologised to the man after the incident. The man, who was thrashed, also said that he had misplaced a bottle containing holy water.
“There was no ill intention behind his actions. He is like my father. He loves us a lot. The man who is spreading this video is trying to defame my ustad,” the man said in the video.
