Pakistan rejects Indian propaganda about misuse of Kartarpur Corridor

India claims corridor being used for business meetings; Pakistan dubs claim 'malicious'

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday stated that Pakistan categorically rejected the ‘malicious’ Indian propaganda regarding the alleged use of the Kartarpur Corridor for business meetings.

The ministry claimed that it was “obvious” that this was part of India’s “deliberate smear campaign” seeking to undermine Pakistan’s historic initiative of opening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India and around the world.

According to the ministry’s statement, there was nothing “new about India’s desperate bid to malign the 'Corridor of Peace' and divert the world’s attention away from the grave injustices being done to its own minorities, especially Muslims, who are being targeted with impunity by Hindu zealots in utter disregard of all tenets of law and justice”.

It maintained that Pakistan gave the highest primacy to minority rights.

“Sanctity of religious places and revered sites of every community is ensured in Pakistan,” adding that recently, the country hosted over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims from India alone, who came to participate in the annual Baisakhi festival.

The statement said that elaborate arrangements were put in place to facilitate the visiting pilgrims to pay homage at their holy religious sites.

Read Claiming Kartarpur: Sikh community irked by Indian rhetoric

“The Sikh community around the world has remained appreciative of Pakistan’s commitment to inclusivity, diversity and promotion of religious harmony.”

The foreign affairs ministry advised India to “desist from casting fallacious aspersions” on the Kartarpur Corridor which was a “gift” by the government of Pakistan to the Sikh community.

It further urged the neighbouring country to focus on taking meaningful steps to effectively protect its own religious minorities and ensure the safety of their lives and places of worship.

The ministry’s statement comes after India, earlier this week, alleged that Pakistan had been misusing the Kartarpur Corridor by getting into contact with the Indian Sikh pilgrims and gathering information.

Indian sources further claimed that the corridor was being used to conduct business meetings, a claim that – according to Indian media – New Delhi objected to and was gathering evidence to raise the matter with the Pakistani government.