Kartarpur corridor shows Pakistan’s commitment to peace: envoy

Published November 28, 2019
It seems that Pakistan’s messages of conciliation continue to fall on deaf ears, says Pakistan’s US envoy Asad Majeed Khan. — USIP screengrab/File
It seems that Pakistan’s messages of conciliation continue to fall on deaf ears, says Pakistan’s US envoy Asad Majeed Khan. — USIP screengrab/File

WASHINGTON: The Kartarpur crossing sends a clear message to people across the world — Pakistan is committed to peace, tolerance and inter-faith harmony, says Pakistan’s US envoy Asad Majeed Khan.

In an article published in the Houston Chronicle newspaper on Wednesday, Ambassador Khan notes that the idea for the corridor has been in the works for many years but was implemented by the present Pakistani government.

On Nov 9, Pakistan opened the corridor — a dedicated border-crossing that enables Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of Sikhism’s holiest sites, the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara.

Pakistan finished the infrastructure in a record time of 10 months, so that it could be opened during the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.

“For close to seven decades, Indian Sikhs have been unable to visit Darbar Sahib Gurdwara. This year, the trip should take minutes,” the ambassador wrote.

He pointed out that during the inauguration ceremony Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Pakistan was not just opening its borders, but also its hearts to the Sikh community.

“It seems though that Pakistan’s messages of conciliation continue to fall on deaf ears. On the very same day Pakistan opened the Kartarpur Corridor, India’s Supreme Court denied a historically proven Muslim claim to the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, India,” the ambassador wrote.

“The site, where a mosque has existed for centuries, has now been handed over to Hindu extremists on spurious claims, sending a chilling message to Muslims and other religious minorities in India.”

“The stark difference” between Pakistan’s overtures in Kartarpur, and India’s intimidation of Muslims and other minorities, the ambassador argued, “has also been on full display in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir for more than 100 days now.”

He noted that since Aug. 5, when the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, “the besieged Kashmiri people have endured an unprecedented level of state brutality at the hands of India’s security forces.”

Under unyielding lockdown, 8 million Kashmiris have experienced immense suffering under nearly 1 million Indian soldiers, he wrote, adding that many still had no access to hospitals, medicines or food.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...