On Saturday, India clarified that it might be discussing Kartarpur corridor with Pakistan but it definitely doesn’t imply the resumption of bilateral ties with the country. The spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar clarified that Kartarpur corridor talks are about respecting the religious sentiments of people believing in Sikhism.
“I would like to make it clear that holding Kartarpur corridor talks doesn’t mean resumption of bilateral ties. This is related to the emotions and sentiments of our Indian citizens of Sikh faith”, Kumar told a press conference in New Delhi.
Pakistan lacked ‘good intentions’ while preparing the Kartarpur Corridor, says MEA
On March 14, a delegation from Pakistan is visiting India to discuss the draft agreement on the Kartarpur corridor. The talks come in the backdrop of heightened tension between two countries following terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir Pulwama on February 14. Forty CRPF jawans were killed in the incident. Pakistan based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed the responsibility of the attack. Nearly two weeks after Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force carried an air strike at a terror camp in Pakistan Balakot. Following the airstrike, Air Force breached Indian airspace and tried to target military facilities.
Pakistan PM Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor on November 28 last year when Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was in Pakistan. Kartarpur Corridor is an effort by both the countries on religious front. It will allow devotees from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The ‘Corridor’ is expected to come into operation from November this year.