A global music star who is an ambassador for an anti-violence charity founded by King Charles has been filmed slapping and physically assaulting a band member.
Shocking footage shows Pakistani folk singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan – an ambassador for the King's British Asian Trust, which campaigns against domestic violence – attacking a backing singer on a US tour.
Khan, 49, who has eight million followers on social media, hit the man with a slipper and dragged him by his hair during the brutal attack on a hotel in Houston, Texas, last year. Last night he admitted the attack, saying: “He was my student and I hit him. “He doesn't mind.”
The video, sent to The Mail on Sunday, will send shockwaves across the Indian subcontinent and Britain's Asian community and embarrass the British Asian Trust, which supports victims of domestic violence and runs mental health initiatives across India and Pakistan.
Pakistani folk singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan – an ambassador for the King's British Asian Trust, which campaigns against domestic violence – attacked a backing singer on a US tour
Khan (left) and King Charles at the British Asian Trust's 4th Annual Dinner at the Guildhall in London on February 10, 2017
Khan has performed in packed venues across the UK and around the world. At a sold-out show at Wembley Stadium he was joined on stage by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who called him “brother”.
As an ambassador for the British Asian Trust, Khan met the king several times. It was founded by Charles in 2007 to combat poverty and build community relationships. Khan's vocals were used in Mel Gibson's 2007 film Apocalypto and he contributed to the soundtrack of the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. He made his Hollywood acting debut in 2022's What's Love Got To Do With It? starring Lily James. The film was directed by his girlfriend Jemima Khan, the ex-wife of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Last week, three videos of Khan punching his bandmate were sent to this newspaper. In a 22-second clip, the casually dressed Khan can be seen arguing with the man in the green T-shirt and shouting at him: “Where is my bottle?” I will hit you. Have you seen my bottle?'
The 32-year-old man, who we are not naming, looks scared. A lengthy 36-second clip showed the man crouching while Khan hits him with what appears to be a slipper. He then punches the man in the face and head and shouts, “Where’s my bottle?”
As an ambassador for the British Asian Trust, Khan met the king several times. It was founded by Charles in 2007 to combat poverty and build community relationships.
In the clip, Khan can be seen arguing with the man in the green T-shirt and shouting at him: “Where is my bottle?” I will hit you. Have you seen my bottle?'
The 32-year-old man, who we are not naming, looks scared. The clip showed the man crouching while Khan hits him with what looks like a slipper
The victim replies meekly, “I didn't have it, sir. 'Which bottle?'
Members of Khan's entourage stand and watch. However, the third video shows three bandmates trying to pull Khan away as the men wrestle on the ground.
A source familiar with the incident said the argument may have been over a bottle of alcohol.
But last night Khan denied this and said his bandmate had lost a bottle of “spiritual water” given to him by a holy man. He said, “He was my student and I beat him.” He lost my special bottle of water, he was responsible for it, he accepted it.
“And he doesn't mind me hitting him.” No one minds me punishing my student for losing my spiritual bottle of water. He even asked me for forgiveness.' In Pakistan, the British Asian Trust says it has trained 160 teachers to recognize mental health problems in students.
Khan is considered the greatest living singer of a famous musical genre in Pakistan called Qawwali, which has its origins in the poetry and music of Islamic mystics known as Sufis.
British Asian Trust said: “We take all allegations of abuse seriously and will investigate the case urgently.”