The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday rejected “unfounded and misleading” allegations that members of the Hindu community were denied entry into the country on religious grounds, clarifying the action was “purely administrative” and consistent with Islamabad’s sovereign right to regulate entry into its territory.
Earlier this week, Pakistan welcomed Sikh pilgrims from India, with over 2,000 pilgrims granted visas to attend a 10-day festival marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith.
However, Indian media claimed yesterday that an Indian national and six family members were reportedly denied entry into Pakistan, with officials allegedly citing their Hindu faith as the reason for refusal.
In a statement today, FO said that these claims are “entirely baseless and represent yet another attempt to distort facts and politicise a matter that was purely administrative in nature”.
“High Commission for Pakistan, New Delhi, had issued over 2,400 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji from November 4 to 13,” FO’s statement noted.
“On November 4, a total of 1,932 pilgrims successfully crossed into Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border,” the statement highlighted. “It is pertinent to note that approximately 300 visa holders were prevented by the Indian authorities from crossing over. The entire immigration process on the Pakistani side was smooth, orderly, and free of any hindrance.”
It added that a very small number of individuals were “found to possess incomplete documentation and were unable to provide satisfactory responses to immigration authorities”.
Consequently, the statement noted, “they were requested to return to the Indian side in accordance with standard procedures”.
“To suggest that these individuals were denied entry on religious grounds is completely incorrect and mischievous,” according to FO.
“Pakistan has always welcomed pilgrims of all faiths to visit its sacred religious sites under a well-established and facilitative framework. The action taken was purely administrative, consistent with Pakistan’s sovereign right to regulate entry into its territory,” said FO, adding that any attempt to give this issue a communal or political colour is not only regrettable but “also reflective of the prejudiced mindset that increasingly dominates the Indian government and media narratives”.