MEA Cites National Policy as Mann Seeks Nod for Lahore Visitਮਾਨ ਦੇ ਲਾਹੌਰ ਦੌਰੇ ਉੱਤੇ ਵਿਦੇਸ਼ ਮੰਤਰਾਲੇ ਨੇ ਕੌਮੀ ਨੀਤੀ ਦਾ ਹਵਾਲਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is preparing to formally seek the Centre's clearance to attend a cultural conference in Lahore, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has made clear that any such request will be judged against India's national policy on Pakistan. The exchange, at the ministry's weekly briefing in New Delhi on Friday, puts the spotlight on a rare cross-border Punjabi cultural invitation at a time when ties between the two countries remain frozen after the Pahalgam terror attack.

What Mann has been invited to

Mann has been invited to be the chief guest at the fourth International World Punjabi Conference, a three-day cultural conclave in Lahore scheduled from November 27 to 29. The opening is set for 11 am on November 27 at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PILAC). The Indian Express reports that the invitation was sent by Punjabi Parchar, a cultural and advocacy organisation, with Pakistani Punjabi poet Baba Najmi among its signatories. Mann had confirmed the invitation in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, where the issue was first raised on October 23.

What the MEA said

Asked about the proposed visit at the briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal did not give a yes or no answer. He said requests for political clearance are assessed in line with the ministry's overall policy and processed accordingly. "When it comes to relations with foreign countries, we have a national policy and expect everybody to abide by it," Jaiswal said. He added that India's position on Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack "should be amply clear to all as to where we stand."

The paperwork is still being prepared

Speaking to reporters earlier on Friday, Mann said his office was still completing the paperwork needed to submit the formal clearance request. "We will wait for what they say. Political clearance has to be taken," he said. That means no formal decision has been taken yet, and none has been communicated to the state government. Under Government of India rules, chief ministers, state ministers and state government officials must obtain prior political clearance from the MEA before travelling abroad, particularly to sensitive destinations such as Pakistan.

Why the answer is far from certain

Mann has been refused clearance for foreign travel before. The Centre has previously denied him permission for overseas trips, including a proposed visit to Japan. The caution also extends to the Kartarpur Corridor, the pilgrim passage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, which has remained suspended since the Pahalgam attack and the deterioration in diplomatic and security relations that followed. Mann used the same press interaction to call for the corridor's reopening, so that legislators could visit Sikh religious shrines across the border. For now, the chief minister's Lahore trip depends on two things: a formal invitation from the Pakistani side and a clearance from New Delhi that the MEA has given no sign of granting.

Is Bhagwant Mann going to Lahore?

Not yet. His office is still preparing the formal clearance request, and the MEA has not announced any decision. The visit can only go ahead if New Delhi grants political clearance.

When is the World Punjabi Conference?

The fourth International World Punjabi Conference is scheduled for November 27 to 29 in Lahore, with the opening at 11 am on November 27 at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture.

What is the Kartarpur Corridor?

It is the visa-free pilgrim passage from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. It has been suspended since the Pahalgam terror attack, and Mann has called for it to reopen.