Pak envoy offers visa to Anupam Kher

Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit has called up Anupam Kher and offered him a visa to travel to that country if he has applied for the same but the actor declined the offer, saying he has already taken up other assignments on the scheduled dates.

Pakistan High Commission officials said Mr. Basit had called up Kher on Tuesday after the actor said he was denied visa to attend the Karachi Literary Festival while 17 others were issued the travel document.

Mr. Basit on Wednesday tweeted, “@AnupamPkher you are always welcome Sir. You are a great artiste; we respect and admire you.”

Replying to Mr. Basit, Kher said, “Thank you Mr. @abasitpak1 for your call & offering me visa to visit Karachi. I appreciate it. Unfortunately i’ve given away those dates now.”

In another tweet last night, the Pakistani envoy had said, “@AnupamPkher sorry Sir I don’t know who told you about this so-called NoC, we are still to receive your



visa application and passport.”

Kher has been denied visa by the Pakistan government to attend the Karachi Literary Festival, prompting him to suggest that the decision may have been influenced by his stand on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits and his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Dear @abasitpak1, Reality remains that Pak Interior Ministry refused to grant NOC for my visa. 17 others invited also didn’t apply for visa,” Kher said in a tweet last night, adding that he has been denied a Pakistani visa for the third time. He was one of the 18 Indians invited to the four-day Karachi Literature Fest starting Friday by the organisers and all of them including senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and actor Nandita Das, but excluding the actor were granted the visa.

The Pakistan High Commission in Delhi had said Kher had never submitted visa application and so the question of issuing or denying him visa does not arise.