Pakistan rejects false Indian media claims on Hindu pilgrims’ entry

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi on Friday categorically rejected false Indian media reports alleging that members of the Hindu community were denied entry into Pakistan on religious grounds.

Addressing his weekly media briefing, the spokesperson said the reports were “entirely baseless, misleading, and aimed at politicizing a purely administrative matter.”

He clarified that Pakistan had issued over 2,400 visas to Indian pilgrims—mostly Sikh devotees—to participate in celebrations marking the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji from November 4 to 13, 2025.

“On November 4, a total of 1,933 pilgrims successfully crossed into Pakistan through the Attari–Wagah border, while around 300 legitimate visa holders were denied exit by Indian authorities,” Andrabi stated.

He added that Pakistan’s immigration process was smooth and unhindered, and only a few individuals with incomplete documents were asked to return in line with standard procedures. “Once their documentation is complete, they will be allowed entry into Pakistan,” he said.

The spokesperson stressed that suggesting any religious motive behind the incident was “completely inaccurate and mischievous.”

“Pakistan has always welcomed pilgrims of all faiths to visit their sacred sites under a well-established and facilitative framework,” Andrabi said, adding that attempts to give the issue a communal or political color “reflect the prejudiced mindset that increasingly dominates Indian government and media narratives.”