Pakistan will consider visa for Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann if he wishes to visit
The Pakistani government is willing to issue a visa to the Punjab Chief Minister for a conference in Lahore, according to reports.
Pakistan has indicated it would consider issuing a visa to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should he wish to visit Lahore for the World Punjabi Conference on November 27, according to reports by Times of India, The Federal and WION.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan stated during a weekly media briefing that the government would consider the visa request if Mann wishes to visit. Khan noted that whether the Indian government permits the travel is a separate matter.
Mann, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said on October 23 that he had received an invitation to the conference. He expressed doubts regarding whether he would receive political clearance from the Centre, noting that he had previously been denied permission for trips to Japan and France.
The Chief Minister also expressed a desire for all members of the Punjab legislative assembly to visit Kartarpur Sahib if the corridor reopens. The corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, allowing Indian pilgrims to visit without a Pakistani visa.
The corridor has been closed to pilgrims from the Indian side since May 7, 2025, following Indian missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These strikes occurred after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Khan said Pakistan remains committed to facilitating religious visits and is prepared to welcome pilgrims of all faiths once restrictions are lifted.
