ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Pakistan on Thursday “categorically rejected” the Indian media reports claiming that certain members of the Hindu community were denied entry into Pakistan on religious grounds.
Earlier, the Indian media alleged that Pakistani authorities stopped a group of Hindu community members from entering the country on religious grounds who wanted to participate in the celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji from November 4-13.
In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Husaain Andrabi termed the allegations unfounded and misleading, adding that “these claims are entirely baseless and represent yet another attempt to distort facts and politicize a matter that was purely administrative in nature.”
Moreover, the spokesperson said that the High Commission for Pakistan in 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.
“On 4 November 2025, a total of 1,932 pilgrims successfully crossed into Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border,” the statement quoted him as saying.
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.
“A very small number of individuals were found to possess incomplete documentation and were unable to provide satisfactory responses to immigration authorities,” Andrabi said in a statement.
“Consequently, they were requested to return to the Indian side in accordance with standard procedures,” he maintained.
The spokesperson added that “suggesting that these individuals were denied entry on religious grounds is completely incorrect and mischievous.”
The Foreign Office spokesperson stressed that Pakistan has always welcomed pilgrims of all faiths to visit its sacred religious sites under a well-established and facilitative framework.
He further confirmed that the action taken was purely administrative, consistent with Pakistan’s sovereign right to regulate entry into its territory.
“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,” he added.
