India denies visas to Pakistani chefs

LAHORE: The Indian government on Saturday denied visas to six Pakistani chefs to participate in the World Heritage Cuisine and Food Festival scheduled to be held in Amritsar next month.

The decision came amid rising tensions between the two countries after India cancelled an earlier announced meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. The festival will take place from October 12 to Oct 14. Chefs from over 40 different countries will take part in the event.

Cancelling the invitation to the Pakistani chefs, the Indian government cited political tension between the neighbours as the reason for not issuing visas.

Speaking to Geo News, head of the six-member group SM Shafiq said Pakistani chefs have decided to lodge a complaint against India to the secretary general of World Chefs - a global network of chefs associations in Paris.

The event is an initiative of the World Cultural Culinary Heritage Committee of the World Association of Chefs Societies (World Chefs).