India harps on terror mantra despite Pakistan’s peace overture

Indian foreign minister takes hawkish stance, sets conditions for bilateral talks

KARACHI: India continued to harp on its terrorism mantra despite a Pakistani peace overture that won the hearts of millions of Sikh community members. Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s offer to open the Kartarpur corridor had put New Delhi in a bind. And after months of reluctance it relented earlier this month and agreed to open the route for Sikh pilgrims.

However, the Indian foreign minister on Wednesday quashed the euphoria triggered by the move, putting a dampener on hopes that it might lead to resumption of peace talks between the two neighbours.

Sushma Swaraj also precluded India’s participation in the summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. A day earlier Pakistan’s foreign minister spokesperson said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would extend an invitation to his Indian counterpart to attend the summit.

“The moment Pakistan stops terrorist activities in India, the dialogue can start but the dialogue is not connected with only Kartarpur corridor,” The Indian News Express quoted Swaraj as saying. “We will not participate in Saarc [summit either].”



India has frustrated every Pakistani move for regional peace and stymied regional cooperation with its obduracy. New Delhi had pulled out of the 19th Saarc summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in December 2016. Taking cue, its regional allies Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan also withdrew from the meeting forcing its cancellation.

India accuses Pakistan of sponsoring terrorism – an allegation that New Delhi doesn’t have anything to substantiate. Islamabad, on the other hand, accuses Indian spy agency of bankrolling and sheltering Baloch terrorists. Indian spy, Kulbhushan Jadav, who was arrested in Balochistan has confessed to India’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Sushma Swaraj’s statement came at a time when Prime Minister Imran Khan broke ground on the Kartarpur corridor in Narowal district of Punjab which will link Gurdwara Darbar Sahib to Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Indian Punjab to facilitate the Sikh community.

The Sikh community has welcomed the move as a ‘dream come true’. The community has long demanded they be able to walk to this major shrine directly from Dera Baba Nanak rather than through the Wagah border crossing.



General Qamar Javed Bajwa had taken a personal interest in meeting the Sikh community’s demand after Indian cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu attended the swearing-in ceremony of Premier Imran in Islamabad three months ago.

The Indian government was in a quandary, displeased with the development but unwilling to alienate the Sikh community. It reluctantly accepted the proposal; announcing it would construct the road on its side.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi invited his Indian counterpart to the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor. However, Sushma Swaraj excused herself and instead said two ministers would represent India at the event.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the 16th-century shrine in Narowal is the final resting place of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Devji.  Located on the banks of the River Ravi, the revered shrine is visible from the Indian side. The Gurudwara was built to commemorate the site where Guru Nanak had settled after his missionary work. He assembled a Sikh community there and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539.