Lahore: India “illegally annexed” Jammu & Kashmir by scrapping Article 370 and 35A on 5 August, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Friday.
He was speaking to reporters on the eve of the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor, which seeks to allow Indian pilgrims visa-free access to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak spent his final years.
“It is unfortunate what happened on 5 August. On 5 August, India has done illegal annexation of Kashmir. We remain concerned for the Kashmiris who are still under lockdown,” said Qureshi.
The Pakistan foreign minister also stated that the Narendra Modi-led Indian government had agreed to the opening of the Kartarpur corridor “reluctantly” as it came under “public pressure”.
‘Don’t want a dialogue for the sake of dialogue’
In the wake of the Article 370 move, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India on 7 August. Talking to ThePrint, Qureshi said the opening of the corridor did not mean Pakistan would resume diplomatic ties with India. “There is no question … Kartarpur [opening] does not mean we will restore diplomatic ties,” he added.
Refuting claims that Pakistan was trying to restore diplomatic ties with India, Qureshi said Islamabad “does not want a dialogue for the sake of a dialogue”. What India did on 5 August meant “an end to bilateral niceties”, he added.
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Pilgrims won’t be charged $20 on 9 Nov
Asked whether pilgrims to Kartarpur will be charged $20 (approx. Rs 1,400) as fees, Qureshi said an exemption will be in place on 9 and 12 November as a special gesture.
The fee, he added, is important for the maintenance of the corridor. He also said that pilgrims will be required to present their passport.
Also read: India says Kartarpur Corridor is a reality because of Pakistani Army, not Imran Khan