Willing to issue visa to Mann for Punjabi Conference in Lahore: Pak

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during his weekly media briefing in response to a question about the possible visit of the Aam Aadmi Party leader

Pakistan on Friday said it would consider issuing a visa to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann if the Indian politician wished to visit the country.

On October 23, during the Punjab assembly session, Mann had said that he had been invited to attend the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore on November 27. However, he questioned whether he would be allowed to travel to Pakistan. (HT)

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during his weekly media briefing in response to a question about the possible visit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader.

“The Pakistani government would consider issuing him a visa if he wished to visit the country,” Khan said, clarifying that whether the Indian government permitted Mann to travel to Pakistan was an entirely separate matter.

On October 23, during the Punjab assembly session, Mann had said that he had been invited to attend the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore on November 27. However, he questioned whether he would be allowed to travel to Pakistan.

“They don’t let me go to Japan and France, how will they allow me to go to Pakistan,” he said, taking a swipe at the Centre for refusing political clearance for his foreign visits.

“Our culture is the same. Many poets from here will go there,” he had said. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan had remarked that the CM should take them along if he gets clearance.

The Foreign Office spokesperson added that Pakistan welcomed pilgrims of all faiths and remained committed to facilitating visits to religious sites.

He said the country issued more than 9,000 visas to Indian religious pilgrims in 2025, including Sikh and Hindu pilgrims, and issued over 4,000 additional visas to Sikh pilgrims during the first half of this year.

“Pakistan looks forward to welcoming a large number of Sikh pilgrims at Nankana Sahib later this month to mark the 557th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” Khan said.

He also said Pakistan was taking steps to preserve and protect Buddhist heritage sites, including those in Taxila and Takht-i-Bahi, and had established a special task force for the purpose.