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HomeWorldKartarpur opening doesn't mean ties with India restored, says Pakistan foreign minister

Kartarpur opening doesn’t mean ties with India restored, says Pakistan foreign minister

Speaking to ThePrint, minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan 'does not want a dialogue for the sake of a dialogue'.

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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.


Also read: Kartarpur and Khalistan: Why Pakistan Army has been so eager to open corridor with India


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


 

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