Pakistan puts Kartarpur talks on hold, says ‘useless’ to speak to India before polls

A view of the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev in Kartarpur, Pakistan | PTI File Photo

Although Pakistan is keen on holding the talks, sources said, it thinks negotiations might get reversed once a new government comes to power in India.

New Delhi: Talks to open the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims have run into trouble as Pakistan believes it is “useless” to hold a dialogue with the Indian government ahead of the general elections.

In a recent interview to Gulf News, Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s minister of information said: “It is useless to talk to them (India) now unless there is some stability. We will move forward once the new government is formed after the elections. We have delayed our efforts to hold talks with India because we do not expect any big decision from the present Indian leadership.”

Chaudhry said Islamabad will also try to resume the comprehensive bilateral dialogue after the elections.

Once the corridor is opened and necessary infrastructure is put in place, it will facilitate the visit of Sikh pilgrims to Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal, Pakistan, which is the final resting place of the founder of the religion, Guru Nanak. This year also marks his 550th birth anniversary.

Current situation

Last week, Pakistan shared a draft agreement on the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor with India. New Delhi responded by giving Islamabad two dates — 26 February and 7 March — for Pakistani officials to visit India and hold the talks.

Pakistan has not yet responded to the dates. It is believed that although it is keen on holding the talks, it thinks negotiations might get reversed once a new government comes to power in India, sources told ThePrint requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, Indian high commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria has said that several rounds of talks have taken place on the issue but he added that bilateral political contact may become “difficult” for now due to the upcoming elections.

The draft agreement

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had conducted the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor on 28 November 2018.

Under the draft agreement, Pakistan has suggested India appoint a point person for the talks. Pakistan has already appointed its Director-General (South Asia & SAARC) as its point person.

While sharing the draft agreement with India, Pakistan also asked it to “urgently send a delegation” to Islamabad “to negotiate and finalise the agreement”, a press release issued by the foreign ministry stated.