The chairman of Pakistan's senate says the body will not welcome any U.S. delegation, member of Congress or dignitary in Islamabad.

The move comes after the U.S. failed to issue a visa to the senate's deputy chairman, a member of the right-wing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam political party.

Chairman Raza Rabbani says in a statement that no Pakistani senate delegation will visit the U.S. until an explanation for the delay in issuing a visa to Maulana Ghafoor Haideri is given by U.S. authorities.

A U.S. embassy spokesman in Islamabad said Sunday they could not comment on visa cases due to privacy laws.

Haideri was to travel Sunday to New York to attend a meeting at the United Nations.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is known for pro-Taliban and anti-U.S. stances.