Pakistan to go ahead with construction in Kartarpur corridor

FO says modalities for passage through the border will be worked out with India

ISLAMABAD: The government has said it looks forward to working out necessary details and modalities with India concerning the passage through the Kartarpur border, vowing to proceed ahead with the development of the physical infrastructure there.

In a statement on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that the Kartarpur initiative was taken solely in deference to the longstanding wishes of the Sikh community as it rejected a negative propaganda campaign in the Indian media against the corridor.



“Pakistan will now proceed with the development of the physical infrastructure for the corridor on its side of the international border. We also look forward to working out necessary details and modalities with the Indian side concerning the passage through the border,” the statement said.

Rejecting a negative propaganda campaign in the Indian media against the initiative, the statement said: “We are deeply dismayed at the relentless negative propaganda campaign being waged by a section of the Indian media against Pakistan.”

It added: “We categorically reaffirm that the initiative to open this corridor has been taken by the government of Pakistan solely in deference to the longstanding wishes of our Sikh brethren, and especially in the wake of the forthcoming 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev ji. Attributing any other motives is purely malicious.”



The statement said those seeking to sow negativity around this initiative for partisan purposes or due to their known anti-Pakistan proclivities would not succeed in their designs and the Pakistan government would continue advance this noble initiative.

“We have received overwhelmingly positive response from the Sikh community -- not only in India and Pakistan but also from across the globe. The government and people of Pakistan fully share their joy on this historic breakthrough and solemnly affirm that they will make every possible contribution to a befitting celebration of the auspicious occasion of Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary in 2019.”.



The Foreign Office said that the inauguration of the corridor project on both sides of the border created a moment of hope for the peoples of India and Pakistan. “We hope every effort would be made to preserve and take forward the Kartarpur Spirit, it added.

The statement hailed the attendance of guests from India during the ground-breaking ceremony at Kartarpur on November 28, 2018. “The presence of thousands of Sikh Yatrees from India and other parts of the world made the occasion even more poignant,” it said.