Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday, 28 November, that all outstanding issues between India and his country, including the Kashmir dispute, can be resolved if there's a decisive leadership on both sides having the will.
"Our political leaders, our army are on one page. We want a civilised relationship with India," Khan said at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur corridor.
Earlier, Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu thanked Imran Khan at the ceremony, saying his name will be on the "first page when Kartarpur's history is written".
Imran Khan laid the foundation stone for the corridor in the presence of Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Indian Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri, and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
- The MEA condemned Imran Khan’s reference to Kashmir during his speech at the ground-breaking ceremony
- Pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Chawla was reportedly seen with the Pakistan army chief during the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration
- Before the ground-breaking ceremony, EAM Sushma Swaraj had said that the corridor’s inauguration doesn’t mean that the India-Pakistan bilateral dialogue will resume
- The corridor will pave the way for Indian pilgrims to visit Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Gurudwara in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak
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'He Has Some Good Relationships Over There': Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sidhu
Speaking about Navjot Singh Sidhu after returning from the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said:
“He (Sidhu) seems to have more of love and respect in Pakistan than what I noticed over here. He has some good relationships over there.”Harsimrat Kaur Badal
'Kashmir is a Part of India and Will Stay That Way': Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Upon returning to India, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal responded to Pakistan PM's Kashmir remark during his speech, saying:
“I have told their media (Pakistani media) that Kashmir is a part of India and will stay that way. There is no scope of negotiation on this. I have told this clearly.”Harsimrat Kaur Badal, as quoted by ANI
Meanwhile, minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the demand for the Kartarpur Corridor had been there for a long time, with the matter moving forward in November this year.
“In 1999, when Vajpayee ji went to Lahore and Parkash Singh Badal was a part of that delegation, this matter was raised during official talks.”Hardeep Singh Puri, as quoted by ANI
On Imran Khan's joking remark that Navjot Singh Sidhu can contest election in Pakistan's Punjab, Puri said:
“He (Imran Khan) invited him (Sidhu) to contest the election in Pakistan. I didn’t ask him (Sidhu) what was his reaction, if he is shifting his constituency.”Hardeep Singh Puri, as quoted by ANI
Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri Return to India
Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri crossed the Attari-Wagah border on Wednesday evening to return to India, after attending the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor.
'Deeply Regrettable That Pak PM Chose to Politicise Pious Occasion': MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday, 28 November, condemned Imran Khan's reference to Kashmir during his speech at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor, saying it is "deeply regrettable that the Pakistan PM chose to politicise the pious occasion".
The MEA statement read:
"Deeply regrettable that Pakistan PM chose to politicise the pious occasion, meant to realise the long-pending demand of the Sikh community to develop the Kartarpur Corridor, by making unwarranted reference to J&K, which is integral and inalienable part of India. Pakistan is reminded that it must fulfill its international obligations and take effective and credible action to stop providing shelter and all kind of support to cross-border terrorism from territories under its control."