Published : 07 Oct 2026, 12:02 PM
Updated : 07 Oct 2026, 12:02 PM
Indian singer Mika Singh has questioned why people in India appear to view Muslims from Pakistan differently from those living in Dubai.
Mika raised the issue while recalling his experiences in Pakistan, saying he had never understood the difference in attitudes towards people from the two places, Indian broadcaster NDTV reports.
During an appearance on the "Baatein Dil Se" podcast, the singer also recalled seeing Muslims in Pakistan helping maintain Sikh religious sites.
"When I went to Pakistan, many Muslims who are our brothers served at the gurdwaras and helped with the cleaning," he said.
Mika went on to speak about the significance of Sikh shrines in Pakistan and his experiences with local people, saying he did not consider Pakistan or its people inherently bad.
"Pakistan isn't bad. The people of Pakistan aren't bad at all. I just don't know why, but for some reason, we seem to dislike Muslims from Pakistan. But we really like Muslims from Dubai. I've never understood that," he said.
Mika's remarks come years after a visit to Pakistan sparked controversy in India.
In 2019, the singer performed at a pre-wedding celebration in Karachi. The event was reportedly hosted by a close relative of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf.
A video of Mika's performance emerged at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
The All India Cine Workers Association and the Federation of Western India Cine Employees subsequently announced a boycott of the singer and said he would not be allowed to take up professional work in India's entertainment industry.
The ban was lifted later that month after Mika apologised for performing at the event.
