Summary
- He explained that Pakistan was unaware that the Indian High Commission had issued visas to the pilgrims and said the visas were not covered by the 1974 bilateral protocol governing visits to religious shrines between Pakistan and India.
- He said Pakistan remained committed to welcoming Sikh pilgrims, including those arriving from India, and pointed to the number of visas previously issued for religious occasions.
- Khan further said Pakistan was ready to facilitate Sikh pilgrims through the Kartarpur Corridor whenever India permits their travel, maintaining that the corridor remains closed from the Indian side.
Pakistan on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and the Makkah Agreement for Joint Defence, saying the country would honour both agreements in letter and spirit.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during his weekly press briefing as tensions continue to escalate in parts of the Middle East.
Responding to questions about recent Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said Pakistan remained committed to its defence obligations. However, he said details regarding the timing, location, nature or scale of any possible military response could not be disclosed because operational matters required confidentiality.
The statement came amid reports of a Houthi drone being intercepted near the holy city of Makkah. Pakistan has condemned any threat to the security and sanctity of the holy sites and reiterated its support for Saudi Arabia.
Khan said Pakistan continued to support dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred means of reducing tensions in the region. He described the situation around the Bab al-Mandeb strait as particularly serious and called for an end to activities that could further aggravate the regional conflict.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in August 2026. The agreement provides a framework for strengthening defence cooperation and collective security among the three countries.
The Foreign Office spokesperson also confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead Pakistan’s delegation to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and several federal ministers are expected to accompany him.
According to the Foreign Office, Shehbaz Sharif will highlight Pakistan’s position on regional and global developments during his UNGA address. He is expected to emphasise dialogue, diplomacy, restraint and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
The prime minister is also expected to discuss sustainable development, climate change, counter-terrorism, Islamophobia, global economic challenges, reform of the United Nations and issues affecting developing countries. Pakistan’s positions on Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir are also expected to be highlighted.
During his stay in New York, Shehbaz Sharif is expected to hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders and engage with the UN secretary general on matters of mutual interest.
The Foreign Office also rejected reports concerning Pakistani Sikh pilgrims who were stopped at Faisalabad airport while travelling to India for religious observances at Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib.
Khan said the pilgrims had not been stopped in the manner reported. He explained that Pakistan was unaware that the Indian High Commission had issued visas to the pilgrims and said the visas were not covered by the 1974 bilateral protocol governing visits to religious shrines between Pakistan and India.
He said Pakistan remained committed to welcoming Sikh pilgrims, including those arriving from India, and pointed to the number of visas previously issued for religious occasions.
Khan further said Pakistan was ready to facilitate Sikh pilgrims through the Kartarpur Corridor whenever India permits their travel, maintaining that the corridor remains closed from the Indian side.
The spokesperson also rejected India’s objections concerning the Pakistan-China Joint Boundary Demarcation Commission. He said the commission was established under the Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement signed on March 2, 1963, and maintained that the agreement remained valid.
Khan described Pakistan’s relationship with China as longstanding and strategic, saying the two countries would continue to cooperate under their existing bilateral arrangements
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