Pakistani singer Ali Sethi, who shot to global fame with his chartbuster 'Pasoori', sent the whole of internet into a tizzy after reports that he had married Pakistani painter and his longtime friend Salman Toor went viral on the web. The news left the internet divided and while the queer community rejoiced it, Pakistani Islamists demanded Sethi's boycott and even sent out death threats to him.
A raging debate gripped social media with the Pakistani audience being of the opinion that Ali's act was an insult to Islam. Several netizens from the neighbouring country also went on to say, "Ali Sethi must be hanged".
It is not known from where the rumour first got out, but it was only in the wee hours of Saturday that Sethi finally broke his silence.
Is Ali Sethi married to Salman Toor?
The initial reports claimed that Sethi had married Toor in an intimate wedding ceremony in New York, and that the two had been "more than friends" for a long time now.
However, Sethi finally cleared the air on Tuesday and issued an official statement.
He took to his Instagram handle and penned a note, "I am not married, I don’t know who started the rumour." He also cheekily added, "But maybe they should help market my new release".
He linked his latest number 'Paniya' along with the note.
Who is Ali Sethi?
Sethi is among the very few Pakistani artists who have come out as gay openly. In an earlier interview, he had claimed that "there is a lot of homophobia in Pakistan" and that it was only getting worse.
It is to be noted that homosexuality is a crime in Pakistan and it is punishable by up to 10 years in jail.
On the other hand, Toor is a Pakistan-born painter, who lives and works in New York.
