WAGAH/LAHORE: A meeting between Pakistan and India to discuss details of the Kartarpur Corridor project took place in a “conducive environment and remained positive” the Foreign Office spokesman said on Thursday.
Dr. Muhammad Faisal, who is also the Director General for South Asia and SAARC, led an 18-member delegation from Pakistan on Thursday morning to discuss the draft agreement with officials from across the border. S.C.L. Das, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs led the Indian delegation.
During the course of the meeting, officials from both sides discussed matters related to the project such as construction work and other technicalities.
A joint statement issued after the meeting said that the talks to discuss “the modalities and the draft agreement for the facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib” were held “in a cordial environment.”
Before reading the joint communiqué signed by the two delegations at Attari — the Indian side of the border — Dr. Faisal described the meeting as “powerful.”
“It was a powerful meeting, and participants from the two sides (India and Pakistan) held positive talks and issued a joint statement. It is after a long time that the two nations have issued a joint statement as the last one was issued in 2016,” Dr. Faisal said.
He added that the next round of talks would take place in Wagah — the Pakistani side of the border — on April 2, prior to which the two sides would meet on March 19 to discuss the modalities of the projects.
When questioned whether there were any differences of opinion pertaining to the project, Dr. Faisal said: “There are differences on certain aspects but the details of those cannot be revealed at the moment.”
The project seeks to provide easy access to Sikhs from across the world, including India, by connecting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the Kartarpur area of Pakistan’s Narowal district with Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur District.
Pakistan-India meeting on Kartarpur Corridor positive — FO spokesman
Pakistan-India meeting on Kartarpur Corridor positive — FO spokesman
- Two countries issue joint statement after three years
- Next round of talks to take place at Wagah on April 2
Peace can only prevail if Afghanistan renounces support for ‘terrorism’— Pakistan defense chief
- Pakistan’s chief of defense forces visits South Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan
- Pakistan says has killed 481 Afghan Taliban operatives since clashes began last Thursday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said on Wednesday that peace with Afghanistan can only prevail if Kabul renounces support for “terrorism” and “terrorist” organizations, the military’s media wing said as the two countries remain locked in conflict.
Fighting between the two neighbors, the worst in decades, broke out last Thursday night after Afghan forces attacked Pakistan’s military installations along their shared border. Afghanistan said its attacks were in response to earlier airstrikes by Pakistan against alleged militant hideouts in its country.
Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of sheltering militant outfits such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its soil who have launched attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces in recent years. Kabul denies the allegations.
Munir visited Wana town in Pakistan’s South Waziristan district to review the security situation and troops’ operational preparedness at the Afghan border, the Pakistani military’s media wing said in a statement.
“The Field Marshal reiterated that peace could only prevail between both sides if the Afghan Taliban renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organizations,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The military chief said the use of Afghan soil by militant outfits to launch attacks against Pakistan was unacceptable, vowing that “all necessary measures” would be taken to neutralize cross-border threats.
During the visit, Munir was briefed by military commanders about ongoing intelligence-based operations and measures being taken by the military to manage the border with Afghanistan.
He was also briefed about “Operation Ghazab Lil Haq” or “Wrath for the Truth,” the name Pakistan has given to its military operation against Afghan forces, the ISPR said.
The Pakistani military chief spoke to troops deployed in the area, praising their vigilance, professional conduct and high morale, the ISPR said.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday that the military has killed 481 Taliban operatives, injured more than 690 and destroyed 226 Afghan checkposts since clashes began.
Arab News has been unable to verify claims by both sides about the damages they claim to have inflicted on each other.
Afghanistan has signaled it is open for dialogue but Pakistan rejected the offer, saying it would continue its military operations till its objectives were achieved.
Since the conflict began, diplomatic efforts have intensified with several countries, including global bodies such as the European Union and United Nations, urging restraint and calling for talks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Ankara would help reinstate a ceasefire, the Turkish Presidency said on Tuesday, as other countries that had offered to mediate have since been hit by the conflict in the Gulf.
