The Queen’s Market trader who became an internet sensation with his One Pound Fish song today returned to Pakistan amid speculation about his departure from the UK.

Muhammad Shahid Nazir, who scaled the British music charts and appeared on The X Factor TV show, received a hero’s welcome with hundreds of people, including local politicians, showing up at Lahore airport in eastern Pakistan to greet him. He was photographed being showered with rose petals and people reportedly chanted “Long live One Pound Fish”.

The British Spectator magazine reported on its blog that Nazir was deported from Britain. But Asian media say Nazir himself denied the reports on arrival, saying instead he had returned to Pakistan simply to apply for a visa for France where he plans to release his song before taking it to the United States.

“I will go to France in two weeks to release this song and then will go back to London,” he said.

Nazir originally came up with his tune: “Come on ladies, come on ladies, one pound fish. Very very good, one pound fish, very very cheap, one pound fish” to attract shoppers at the market in Green Street, Upton Park.

But the song became a YouTube hit after someone filmed Nazir singing it at the market.

Millions of people viewed on the video and he was later signed up for a record deal in the hope of it making the Christmas number one in the charts. Instead it reached number 29.

A spokesman for the Home Office said they would not comment on individual cases.