Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called Kartarpur Corridor ‘A Goodwill Gesture’ and moreover, informed BBC that any improvement in relations with India depends on “New Delhi changing its policy on Kashmir”.
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The opening of the Kartarpur Corridor is an attempt to link Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur to Durbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan’s Kartarpur. The Foreign Minister of Pakistan criticized India’s impassive response to the peace overtures from Pakistan’s PM.
Qureshi claims the opening of the corridor as “A Goodwill Gesture” and the Pakistan PM – Imran Khan always proposes to take initiatives to strengthen the ties between two nations. PM Khan is ready to take two steps for everyone initiative from India, says Qureshi. “
Unfortunately, we did not get the same response. Despite that, we decided to continue with the Kartarpur Corridor and the Kartarpur Spirit,” he said. “It’s not just the corridor; it’s the spirit behind the corridor that needs to be understood. And it has given us a lot of goodwill in the Sikh community.”
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Having said that, Qureshi mentioned that any development in the bilateral relationship between both the countries entirely depends on India amending its latest policy on the Kashmir issue.
“Improvement of relations will depend upon their treatment and attitude in (Jammu and Kashmir). The way they are going about maltreating people and abusing human rights…,If they continue to do what they are doing in Kashmir, I see no respite,” he added.
The Kartarpur corridor is an aberrant historic event witnessing the liaison between both the countries against the setting of intense tension due to India’s decision of scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir while seizing its ‘Special Status’ and splitting them into two Union Territories.
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Qureshi even compared the opening of the Kartarpur corridor to the fall of the Berlin wall denoting similar results for both the countries in this contrast situation. The fall of the Berlin Wall is commemorated as an iconic event that led to the reunification of East and West Germany which concurred with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“You saw the Berlin Wall go down…It changed the face of Europe. Kartarpur can change the face of South Asia,” he said.
Indian PM Narendra Modi also said the corridor to Kartarpur and the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict in the Ayodhya title suit – two key events that took place on Saturday — were akin to the demolition of Berlin Wall, sending a message of peace and unity.
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“November 9 was when the Berlin Wall had fallen. People had taken a pledge then,” the Prime Minister said this evening in an address to the nation — referring to the demolition of the wall that divided East and West Germany 30 years ago.
“Today, Kartarpur Sahib Corridor started with the cooperation of India and Pakistan. Today, with Ayodhya verdict, this date of November 9, teaches us to live together and move forward. “Today’s message is to unite, be united and to live together. If there is any bitterness, hatred in any one’s mind, it is time for them to let go of this,” he added.
