Is it possible for a person from Pakistan to enter India without a visa? Though not very likely under stringent travel guidelines between the nations, Waqas Hassan, business owner in Pakistan was able to disprove it—legally, at that.
In his short stint in Mumbai, Hassan tasted local delights, such as the city’s iconic vada pav, and even shopped for souvenirs. Describing the experience as “pretty fun,” he posted his experience on social media, generating curiosity and controversy. His account has since been viral, generating such questions: How did he get into India without a visa?
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Waqas Hassan’s Mumbai Layover
Waqas Hassan, the founder of AI company AiForAll, was on a journey from Singapore to Saudi Arabia when he booked an IndiGo flight with a six-hour layover in Mumbai.
“This time I’m flying from Singapore to Saudi Arabia. And currently, I’m in Mumbai,” Hassan said in an Instagram video, as he walked through the airport terminal.
Hassan explained in his video that Pakistani tourists are allowed to transit legally through India visa-free, but only if they stay within the airport. They need to purchase a single-ticket flight, though, because self-check-in is unavailable for Pakistani passport holders.
Despite the brief stay, Hassan made the most of his time—relaxing in an airport lounge, picking up souvenirs, and savoring Mumbai’s famous street food. He enjoyed a plate of vada pav with cutting chai, describing the experience as “pretty fun.”
His Instagram caption humorously read, “I travelled all the way to Mumbai on a Pakistani passport just to have vada pav.”
The ‘Slight Risk’ in Booking the Ticket
Hassan agreed that, though there was a legal transit alternative, he at first did not want to buy the ticket.
“I have been travelling for 15 years. Nobody told me that we [Pakistanis] can transit through India. So when I booked this ticket, there was a slight bit of risk involved as well,” he recounted.
Even Mumbai airport staff was surprised to have his passport in their hands.
“When I gave them my passport at the airport, they also looked at me in surprise. They said not many Pakistani people do this, so it was a new experience for them as well,” Hassan remembered.
While Pakistani citizens can travel to India with a visa, this can prove difficult to get because of political tensions and security issues. Consequently, tourism between the two neighboring nations is uncommon.
So why did Hassan opt for a flight with an Indian layover? Indian airlines, he says, have some of the best deals available on flights between the East and the West, so his Singapore-to-Saudi Arabia flight was a good-value option.
Symbolic Journey Amid Tense Relations
Although Hassan’s stopover in India was short-lived, his tale has come to represent the larger discussion regarding India-Pakistan travel bans. For some, it speaks to the cultural and historical connections between the two countries, which tend to be dwarfed by political tensions.
With his lawful transit and social media evidence, Hassan has brought to light a generally underappreciated travel option—one that certain Pakistanis might now take into consideration when planning foreign travel.
While a complete relaxation of visa restrictions shortly is doubtful, such times provide hope for a world where borders do not limit common experience. Until that time comes, as Hassan demonstrated, sometimes even an airport layover can be a powerful message.
