Times Report
Islamabad: A Pakistani Sikh journalist and minority rights activist has lodged a formal complaint over what she describes as harassment and intimidation during her visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.
Mishal Kaur, known as Pakistan’s first Sikh journalist and a women’s rights advocate, appeared at the embassy on *27 January 2026* for a *B-2 visit visa. She had been invited to attend a roundtable conference organized by the **International Religious Freedom (IRF)* forum in the United States and was also nominated for an award in recognition of her work for women’s empowerment.
According to her complaint, Kaur arrived at the embassy at around *7:30am* and initially faced a routine interview with a foreign consular officer. She was later asked to wait and was called again at around *12 noon* to *Room No. 1*, where a second interview was conducted by a Pakistani female visa officer.
Kaur alleged that during the second interview, the questioning turned aggressive and unrelated to her visa application. She claimed the officer repeatedly accused her of working with a “consultant” and levelled serious allegations against *Anila Ali*, co-chair of IRF, including claims that Ali had taken money from her or promised asylum or U.S. citizenship.
“These allegations are baseless and untrue,” Kaur stated, adding that she categorically denied any exchange of money or promise of asylum. She said her interaction with Anila Ali was purely professional and limited to participation in IRF events.
The complaint further alleges that despite her repeated clarifications, the officer continued pressuring her with repetitive questions and made threatening remarks, including warnings that contacting anyone could lead to serious consequences and that negative remarks in her file could damage her career.
Kaur said the interview caused severe psychological distress and amounted to coercion. She maintained that if her visa application was to be refused, it should have been done without intimidation or personal attacks. She also expressed concern that the questioning appeared biased against individuals associated with IRF.
In addition, Kaur highlighted that her husband and two-year-old daughter were made to wait outside the embassy from *7:00am to 3:30pm* in harsh weather conditions, causing unnecessary hardship to her family.
She has called for a formal inquiry into the conduct of the visa officer and clarification on whether such interrogation practices are in line with U.S. embassy procedures and international norms. The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad has not yet issued an official response to the complaint.
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