Anupam Kher snubs Pakistan high commissioner's visa offer

Bollywood actor says he has already taken up other assignments on the dates he was supposed to attend KLF

Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on Wednesday declined Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit’s offer of a Pakistani visa after he was initially denied one.

Kher declined the offer saying he's already taken up other assignments on the dates that he had planned to visit Pakistan to attend the Karachi Literary Festival for which he had been invited.



To this, the Bollywood veteran actor responded, “Thank you Mr @abasitpak1 for your call & offering me visa to visit Karachi. I appreciate it. Unfortunately I've given away those dates now."

@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

— Abdul Basit (@abasitpak1) February 2, 2016

@AnupamPkher you are always welcome Sir. You are a great artiste; we respect and admire you

— Abdul Basit (@abasitpak1) February 3, 2016

The Bollywood actor had earlier said that he was the only one of 18 people, who was denied the visa to attend the literary event. He alleged that the rejection might have been due to his stand on the issue of Kasmiri Pandits and his support to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pakistan’s high commission in Delhi retorted that Kher had not submitted a visa application and hence there was no point of it getting rejected. However, KLF spokesperson Ameena Syed said that the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi advised the organisers to ask Kher not to submit a visa application since he would not be issued one.



Veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher lashed out at Pakistani government after he was rejected a visa to the country to attend the Karachi Literature Festival.

The actor was due to travel to Pakistan to attend the Karachi Literature Festival starting from February 5.

The article originally appeared in The Times of India