Centre unlikely to clear Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s Lahore conference trip

The government on Friday struck a cautious note on an invitation to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for the International Punjabi Conference in Pakistan, with the external affairs ministry pointing to the severing of all contacts with the neighbouring country after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Mann has been invited by Punjabi Parchar, one of the organisers of the event to be held in Lahore from November 27 to 29, as the chief guest for the opening ceremony. The conference is aimed at celebrating the Punjabi language, arts, culture, history and cross-border literary and cultural reconciliation.

“When it comes to relations with foreign countries, we have a national policy and expect everybody to abide by it,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing when he was asked about the invitation extended to Mann, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Jaiswal said that political clearances for dignitaries travelling abroad were assessed by the external affairs ministry “in line with its overall policy and processed accordingly”.

“As far as our position on Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack is concerned, it should be amply clear to all as to where we stand,” he said without elaborating.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack by a front for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba that killed 26 civilians, India unveiled a package of punitive diplomatic and economic measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and the severing of virtually all official contacts between the two sides.

People familiar with the matter said the Punjab chief minister was unlikely to receive political clearance for the visit. The central government has denied clearance to Mann for several planned foreign visits. Mann has said in the state legislature that he wants to attend the conference and visit several historic gurdwaras in Pakistan, including Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.