The Indian government has invited a Pakistani team to visit the country a day after Islamabad extended a similar invitation to the former for carving out a joint strategy with regards to opening of Kartarpur Corridor.
According to sources at the Indian High Commission, two dates have been suggested for the Pakistani delegation’s visit to India. The team will either leave for New Delhi on February 26 or March 7, they added.
Details regarding the delegation’s itinerary have not been shared thus far.
The diplomatic sources said the final decision regarding sending the delegation will be made by Prime Minister Imran Khan. They added that the Indian authorities were showing no interest in completing the project at the earliest as desired by their Pakistani counterparts.
On Monday, Islamabad extended an invitation to New Delhi to hold talks to finalise the agreement on Kartarpur Corridor opening in a move indicating the PTI government’s continued efforts to reach out to the estranged neighbour.
The government also shared the draft agreement between the two countries to operationalise the Karatarpur Corridor.
Prime Minister Imran inaugurated the ground breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 28 last year. Pakistan took this step to accommodate the longstanding request of the Sikh community, especially from India particularly in view of 550th Birth Anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
“This is in line with Islamic principles that advocate respect for all religions and Pakistan’s policy of promoting inter-faith harmony and religious tolerance and also in line with Quaid’s vision of a peaceful neighbourhood. Pakistan would continue with its efforts to bring peace and stability in the region,” said a foreign office statement issued on Monday.
The move comes despite no apparent positive movement towards the normalisation of relationship between the two countries. With India heading for elections in few months, there is little chance for any major breakthrough in the near future.
Published in Daily Times, January 23rd 2019.
