Kartarpur Corridor: Pakistan announces delegation

ISLAMABAD: India under Modi and BJP is not interested in resuming dialogue with Pakistan and for the reason “discussion” on modalities for opening up of Kartarpur Corridor crossing has been shifted from New Delhi to Attari in an extremely strange manner.

New Delhi is reluctant to give Kartarpur discussion colour of resumption of dialogue, as it could be “injurious” to incumbent Indian government, politically.

India has yet to announce its delegation for talks but Islamabad has finalised its team and the Foreign Office spokesman and Director General South Asia Division Dr. Muhammad Faisal will lead it.

The same has been communicated to India.

Highly placed diplomatic sources told The News/Jang on Saturday that it had been conveyed to India that Pakistan’s delegation will cross over into India at 10:30 Pakistan Standard Time (PST) on Thursday (March 14) from Wahga’s international border “Azadi Gate” and the whole conversation will be culminated before mid-night in a room dedicated for the purpose.

No intimation about the recess and interval for food or any other comfort has yet been given.

Pakistan’s delegation will be ‘greeted’ in the room situated 100 meters from the entry point and it will be rendezvous for the discussion.

Pakistan didn’t ask for talks to be held in the Indian capital and it hasn’t objected to the shifting of the venue. The shifting demonstrates approach and fears of Indians, the sources said.

Senior officials from the ministries of interior and religious affairs, FIA, FWO and Government of Punjab will be part of Pakistan’s delegation.

The sources pointed out that Sikhs in the Indian Punjab, Haryana and across India are jubilant at the start of Kartarpur talks since they attach religious reverence to it.

The Sikhs in Amritsar and around Attari have started celebrating the occasion and conveyed their desire to host sumptuous lunch and dinner for Pakistan’s delegation coming for talks.

The sources pointed out that it’s unusual for diplomats to meet at Attari, as in the past it was the meeting place for the Directors General Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India, Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

Interestingly, pullout from Kargil was also worked out at the same place.

The two sides will meet to finalise and operationalise the Kartarpur Corridor on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Sahib at the

Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib situated in the Pakistani Punjab.

India has proposed that a technical-level discussion on the alignment of corridor be held the same day on the sidelines of this meeting.

When questioned, officials here say that delegates of the technical team will be included in Pakistan’s delegation and this is something that both sides had agreed to preciously.

Dr. Muhammad Faisal who has been very ably dealing with affairs with India as chief of the desk concerned and spokesman for the Foreign Office has already been tipped to replace Sohail Mahmood in India as high commissioner since Sohail will become foreign secretary next month, the sources said.

The countries have already agreed to a second round of discussion on Kartarpur Corridor on March 28. Dr. Faisal will formally invite the Indian delegation for the same and in all probabilities the next round will take place in Lahore if Islamabad turned up to be not feasible due to any reason, the sources added.