📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / News18 Punjab/Haryana/Himachal
Politics
Pakistan Says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Can Visit Kartarpur If He Wishes
✍️ NDTV Top
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 11:51 AM
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Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann urged all state legislators to visit Pakistan's Kartarpur Sahib, prompting a diplomatic reply from Islamabad that the trip is possible if he wishes.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann publicly expressed his wish that every member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly should make a pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib, the revered Sikh shrine located in Pakistan's Narowal district. Mann's statement was made during a press interaction in Chandigarh, where he highlighted the spiritual significance of the site for the Sikh community.
In response, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a brief statement through its official spokesperson, indicating that a visit by the Indian legislators would be permissible if the chief minister himself desires it. The reply quoted the phrase "If he wishes" as the condition for any such trip, signalling a courteous yet measured diplomatic tone.
The Kartarpur Corridor, opened in 2019, allows visa‑free access for Indian pilgrims to the shrine. Mann's call for a collective legislative visit adds a political dimension to the already sensitive cross‑border religious tourism, and Islamabad's answer underscores the importance it places on sovereign decisions.
No concrete plans have been announced yet, and both governments are expected to discuss logistical and security arrangements should the proposal move forward.
In response, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a brief statement through its official spokesperson, indicating that a visit by the Indian legislators would be permissible if the chief minister himself desires it. The reply quoted the phrase "If he wishes" as the condition for any such trip, signalling a courteous yet measured diplomatic tone.
The Kartarpur Corridor, opened in 2019, allows visa‑free access for Indian pilgrims to the shrine. Mann's call for a collective legislative visit adds a political dimension to the already sensitive cross‑border religious tourism, and Islamabad's answer underscores the importance it places on sovereign decisions.
No concrete plans have been announced yet, and both governments are expected to discuss logistical and security arrangements should the proposal move forward.