Pak, Indian teams to continue talks on Kartarpur Corridor

ISLAMABAD: Despite setback in talks between Pakistan and India, technical teams from both sides are now expected to meet on April 16, at Zero Point, to continue with discussions to ensure that progress continues on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

“Continuing with Pakistan’s spirit of constructive engagement, we have agreed to the Indian proposal for a technical meeting on 16 April. We expect positivity from India so that the corridor becomes a reality for the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak celebrations”, Dr Mohammad Faisal, spokesman of the Foreign Office, said in a Tweet. There are two delegations for two meetings from both sides which have been meeting on the Kartarpur Corridor. One is the Main meeting and the other the Technical meeting.

The meeting is expected to go ahead in the background of an all time low between the two sides with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accusing India of planning an attack on Pakistan this month.

Delegations of Pakistani and Indian technical experts met on March 19 at the proposed Zero Point to discuss and finalise the development of the Kartarpur Corridor. The design, road height, the Corridor’s alignment, coordinates and other areas in engineering of the crossing points are points under discussion.

Meanwhile, Pakistan says that it has still not decided upon demands from India that changes be made in the ten-member committee to handle Sikh pilgrims after opening up of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. This is an issue for which the main meeting was postponed by India. An official said a decision in this regard has not yet been taken.

India had summoned the Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah and protested over the presence of alleged Khalistani separatists in the committee. India protested that Khalistani separatists with close ties with Laskar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed were made members of Kartarpur panel.

India also sought explanation as to why Khalistani militants like Maninder Singh Tara and Gopal Singh Chawla were part Pakistan committee. Both of them said India are close aide of Laskar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and were involved in propagating terrorism in India. While Pakistan is not rejecting India’s concerns, it hints at the possibility that it would make some changes, or engage in some quite diplomacy to look for a solution. Other issues that both sides are seized with and which have to be agreed upon are whether Sikh Yatrees coming from India will have to acquire visas which Pakistan suggests or just some form of identification like a passport which India is suggesting. India has also demanded fool-proof security for the Yatrees and that they would be insulated from any anti-India propaganda during their visit and that diplomats from the Indian High Commission should have access to them.