After rumours swirled on social media that legendary singer Atif Aslam was opposed to singing in Saudi Arabia because of proximity to religious sites, the singer is setting the record straight.

In a statement to journalist Maliha Rehman, the Tere Liye singer clarified that he had performed in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, in the past which was “the best way of proving our opinion on the topic”.

Earlier, several local media outlets reported that Aslam did not want to perform in Saudi Arabia because he could not accept performing near holy sites. However, the singer quickly dismissed those rumours. “It is funny and strange that statements that I have never made get connected with me.” Aslam said the media and artist community bear the responsibility for checking the validity of a statement before reporting it and making comments on it.