Islamabad: Pakistan categorically rejected the “malicious Indian propaganda regarding the alleged use of the Kartarpur Corridor for business meetings”.
In a statement, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said “it is obvious that this concoction is part of India’s deliberate smear campaign seeking to undermine Pakistan’s historic initiative of opening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India and around the world”.
He maintained that there is nothing new about India’s desperate bid to malign the corridor of peace and divert the world’s attention away from the grave injustices being done to its own minorities, especially Muslims, who are being targeted with impunity by “Hindu zealots” in utter disregard of all tenets of law and justice.
“Pakistan accords the highest primacy to the rights of the minorities. Sanctity of religious places and revered sites of every community is ensured in Pakistan.”
The spokesperson said that Pakistan had recently hosted over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims from India alone who were here to participate in the annual Baisakhi festival held from 12-21 April 2022.
“The Sikh community around the world has remained appreciative of Pakistan’s commitment to inclusivity, diversity and promotion of religious harmony,” he added.
Asim Iftikhar advised New Delhi to desist from “casting fallacious aspersions on the Kartarpur Corridor”, which was a gift by the Government of Pakistan to the Sikh community, and instead focus on taking meaningful steps to effectively protect its own religious minorities and ensure the safety of their lives and places of worship. APP
