Pakistani singer, actor Fakhr-e-Alam gets UAE Golden Visa

Tanvir Usman, Staff Reporter

Actor, singer and pilot Fakhr-e-Alam has become the first Pakistani celebrity to get the 10-year UAE Golden Visa on Sunday.

Alam thanked the UAE authorities for granting him the Golden Visa and vowed to make both the UAE and Pakistan proud. Alam has been a resident of the UAE for around 17 years.  

While announcing the news on Facebook, Alam said: "I am deeply honoured and grateful for this gesture by the UAE government for recognising my entire body of work from the entertainment industry, entrepreneurial ventures and above all my global circumnavigation. Dubai has been my other home for 17 years and I have loved living here.... I am ecstatic and super proud....I promise to keep trying to make UAE and Pakistan proud of whatever big or small things I do in the future. I will release a video message later.”

Reacting to the news netizens congratulated Alam for making Pakistan proud.

Adnan Sh: “That's awesome. Really happy for you brother. Best wishes for your future endeavors. Indeed a proud moment of both the nations. Pakistan and UAE shared expertise, ideas and culture. It's great to see we are sharing our heroes now. God bless you and keep it up Bhangra boy.”

Another user Ahmad Usman commented: “That’s a very good gesture by @UAEmGov, we Pakistani’s really appreciate this.”

Alam is the first Pakistani national who successfully circumnavigated the globe flying a single-engine aircraft in 2018.

Alam is also well known for his philanthropic work. During the lockdown, he came to the help of scores of blue-collar Pakistani workers hit by the coronavirus pandemic in the UAE.

In 2005, he was honoured by the then Pakistani government for his rehabilitation efforts for earthquake victims.