‘If He Wished To…’: Islamabad’s Response To Bhagwant Mann’s Query Over Pakistan Visit

Last Updated:November 07, 2026, 3:51 PM IST

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson made the remarks in response to a question about the possible visit of Mann to Pakistan.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann (File photo)

After Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann questioned whether he would be allowed to travel to Pakistan to attend the upcoming World Punjabi Conference, Islamabad responded, saying that a visa could be granted to the Indian leader “if he wished to visit the country.”

The World Punjabi Conference is scheduled to be held in Lahore on November 27.

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

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

On October 23, Mann revealed that he had received an invitation to participate in the Conference. However, he expressed uncertainty over whether he would be permitted to cross the border.

“Our culture is the same. Many poets from here will go there,” he had said.

The Punjab Chief Minister had also proposed that all members of the state Assembly visit Kartarpur Sahib if the Kartarpur Corridor reopened.

The corridor links Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur, a significant religious site associated with Guru Nanak Dev. It enables Indian pilgrims to visit the shrine without obtaining a Pakistani visa, subject to applicable arrangements.

Pilgrim movement through the corridor has been suspended since May 7, 2025, following India’s military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack.

During Friday’s briefing, Khan reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating religious visits. He said the country issued over 9,000 visas to Indian religious pilgrims in 2025, along with more than 4,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims in the first six months 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 highlighted the 1974 India-Pakistan protocol on visits to religious shrines and Pakistan’s efforts to preserve Buddhist heritage sites, including Taxila and Takht-i-Bahi.

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What was Islamabad’s response to Bhagwant Mann’s potential Pakistan visit?

Islamabad stated that a visa could be granted to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann if he wished to visit Pakistan to attend the World Punjabi Conference, while clarifying that whether the Indian government permits the travel remains a separate matter.

When and where is the World Punjabi Conference scheduled to take place?

The World Punjabi Conference is scheduled to be held in Lahore, Pakistan, on November 27.

Why has pilgrim movement through the Kartarpur Corridor been suspended?

Pilgrim movement through the Kartarpur Corridor has been suspended since May 7, 2025, following India’s military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack.

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Manisha RoySenior Sub-Editor

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers politics and a wide range of hard news, with a keen interest in national and international d…Read More

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