New Delhi, March 29: India on Friday summoned Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner here and conveyed concerns over the presence of several Khalistani separatists in a committee appointed by Pakistan on the Kartarpur Corridor, sources said.
India also asked Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah his country’s stand on key proposals put forward by New Delhi at the last meeting held in Attari to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, they said.
A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement said it had been conveyed to the Pakistani side that the next meeting on the modalities of the corridor could be scheduled at an appropriate time after receiving Pakistan’s response.
The next round of talks is scheduled for April 2 at the Wagah border.
In order to take forward the infrastructure development for the corridor in an expeditious manner, India has proposed to hold another meeting of technical experts in mid-April to resolve outstanding issues at the zero point agreed to at the last meeting, the statement said.
The Indian government remains committed to realising the long-pending demand of the Indian pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara using the corridor in a safe, secure, smooth and easy manner, it said.
India has asked Pakistan to allow pilgrims to travel on foot, if they wish. It also urged that another 10,000 pilgrims be allowed access on festivals like Baisakhi and Gurpurab.
Last November, India and Pakistan had agreed to set up the border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Guru Nanak, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.
Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan’s Narowal district across the Ravi, about 4 km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on November 26 last year laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor in Gurdaspur district.
Two days later, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone of the corridor in Narowal, 125 km from Lahore. PTI
