Pakistan 'Open To Issuing Visa' To Bhagwant Mann For Lahore Conference; Punjab CM Expresses Desire To Visit, Awaits Centre's Approval

Pakistan has said it is willing to consider granting a visa to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann if he wishes to attend the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore scheduled for November 27. However, Islamabad clarified that permission from the Indian government for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader to travel would be a separate matter.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during his weekly media briefing on Friday, responding to a question about Mann's proposed visit. He said Pakistan would “consider issuing him a visa if he wished to visit the country”.

Mann Had Confirmed Receiving Invitation To The Conference

Mann had announced on October 23 that he had received an invitation to the conference. Expressing uncertainty over whether he would be allowed to travel, he had said that Punjab and Pakistan shared the same culture and that several poets from the state were expected to attend. The Chief Minister has also expressed his wish to take all members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly to Kartarpur Sahib if the Kartarpur Corridor is reopened.

Kartarpur Corridor Shut Since May 2025

The Kartarpur Corridor links Dera Baba Nanak in India's Punjab with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, associated with Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. The visa-free arrangement allows Indian pilgrims to visit the shrine and return on the same day.

However, pilgrim movement through the corridor from the Indian side has remained suspended since May 7, 2025, when India launched Operation Sindoor against terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Khan said Pakistan remained ready to facilitate religious visits once restrictions were lifted and welcomed pilgrims of all faiths to its religious sites. He said Pakistan issued more than 9,000 visas to Indian religious pilgrims in 2025, including Sikh and Hindu devotees, and granted over 4,000 additional visas to Sikh pilgrims during the first half of 2026.

Pakistan is also preparing to welcome Sikh devotees at Nankana Sahib later this month for the 557th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Highlighting the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, Khan said the Kartarpur initiative had enabled more than 5,000 pilgrims to visit the shrine daily. He also cited efforts to protect Buddhist heritage sites, including Taxila and Takht-i-Bahi, through a dedicated task force.

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