Government says no to Pak diplomats' Jaipur visit based on 'inputs'

NEW DELHI: The government has denied permission to two Pakistani diplomats to travel to Jaipur based on "inputs from various agencies" and said their visit had nothing to do with the literature festival there.

Two Pakistani diplomats-- Manzoor Memon, head of the media wing, and Naeem Anwar, minister (trade)-- had requested on January 16 for permission to travel to Jaipur, which was turned down by the External Affairs Ministry.

"Diplomatic requests are made from time to time to the Ministry for travelling across the country. In most cases these requests are acceded to and accepted. In some cases for specific reasons, at that time best known to the Ministry and other agencies that are consulted, we have to say no," External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said here today.

He also said that one should not confuse any "coincidence with any specific decision vis-a-vis the Jaipur Literary Festival or for that matter anything else."

Significantly, the organisers of literature festival in Jaipur said there was no specific invitation to these diplomats.

Meanwhile, official sources said the request made by these diplomats was turned down in view of "inputs" by various agencies.

They also said while Memon wanted to go to Ajmer later, Anwar wanted to travel to Agra, where an Annual Partnership Summit was being held. The request for travel to Agra was granted.