ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office dismissed the claim that Pakistan’s spy agencies are using the Kartarpur corridor to engage with the pilgrims coming from India being peddled by New Delhi through its proxy media networks.
A report published in Wion, an online Indian English-language news portal, claimed the intelligence services and officials in Pakistan “are seen trying to interact with Indian pilgrims in an attempt to cultivate them.”
The special border crossing, called the Kartarpur corridor, allows Sikhs from India to visit holy sites in Pakistan, despite continued hostile relations between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Sunday, a Foreign Office spokesperson said Islamabad has not used the “Kartarpur corridor for any sort of business meetings and such propaganda statements are part of India’s conscious campaign against Pakistan.”
“Pakistan alone hosted over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims recently at Baisakhi Mela held this year from April 21-22 and provided them ample facilities to visit their holy sites. And Sikh community globally appreciates Pakistan’s measures towards the Sikh pilgrims,” he said.
“The Kartarpur corridor was a gift from Pakistan to the Sikh community and the propaganda is tantamount to sabotaging the opening of the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims.”
The spokesperson categorically rejected the propaganda campaign to put blame on Pakistan for using the corridor other than facilitating the pilgrims.
Pakistan said Indian propaganda against Kartarpur — the corridor of peace — will never succeed.
He said the attempts of New Delhi are not new to divert the plight and injustice towards minorities, especially Muslims.
“India has been mercilessly targeting the minorities in the country; however, Pakistan gives top priority to its minorities,” the statement read.
