Wagah parleys deadlock: India protests Khalistani link to Kartarpur panel

Reacting to the development, Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said: "Last minute postponement without seeking views from Pakistan and especially after the productive technical meeting on March 19 is incomprehensible."

"India has been strongly emphasising on the need for fool proof security of pilgrims on Pakistani soil and demanding commitment from Pakistan to insulate them from any anti-India propaganda or activity during their visit to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib," an Indian government source said in Delhi.

Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned by the ministry of external affairs and India's position was explained.

"We told Pakistan categorically that while we are very keen to bring these discussions on the modalities, we need clarifications," the source said adding, the Pakistan government through cabinet decision has set up a committee on Kartarpur and a number of controversial names have come in that.

These include - the names of Gopal Singh Chawla, Maninder Singh, Tara Singh, Bisan Singh and Kuljeet Singh.

"These names are controversial elements. Gopal Singh Chawla is a person who is associated with internationally designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed of JuD. They are associated with anti-India secessionist elements as are also other names," the source said.

"These are serious concerns about security," the source said adding some of these developments raise questions about Pakistan's "intention" to make use of the Kartarpur Corridor.

The Indian government's decision was shared at a time when Pakistani officials were "extending" an invitation to the Indian media to attend the next meeting at Wagah on April 2.

"Pakistan welcomes Indian media for the Kartarpur Corridor meeting at Wagah on April 2, 2019. They may apply to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for visas #PakKartarpurSpirit," tweeted Faisal.

Incidentally, the frostiness on Kartarpur Corridor parleys came a day after Pakistan adopted its usual stance on investigating Pakistani or Pak-based Jaish-e-Mohammad links to the Pulwama attack.

Pakistan has informed India that there were 54 "detained individuals" but no details linking them to Pulwama have been found so far.

Pakistan also dismissed presence of 22 terrorist training camps claimed by India.

"Similarly, the 22 pin locations shared by India have been examined. No such camps exist. Pakistan is willing to allow visits, on request, to these locations," a Pakistan Foreign office statement said on Wednesday.

India on Thursday said it was "disappointed" at the Pakistan's response to the detailed dossier on the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s complicity in the cross-border terror attack in Pulwama.

In response to a media query regarding Pakistan's response, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "India is disappointed at Pakistan’s response... Regrettably, Pakistan continues to be in denial and even refuses to acknowledge Pulwama as a terror attack."

The first round of talks at Attari held on March 14 discussed several issues but there were wide range of gaps too.

While India sought for opening the corridor on all seven days for pilgrims' visits, on its part Pakistan has "restricted" the visits to specific days (and not throughout the week).

Pakistan also did not agree on devotees’ travel as individuals on foot and insisted on their movement in a group of at least 15 on board a vehicle, sources said.

India and Pakistan last year agreed to open a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur – the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder Guru Nanak Dev – to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.

India also has demanded that the Kartarpur Corridor be open to people from all religions - not necessarily Sikhs alone.

"India has made amply it clear that the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor shall not be misused," an official source said here.

It further said Pakistan has been seeking to impose a special permit along with a charging fee - which, New Delhi thinks, would be repugnant to the religious sentiments of the pilgrims.

 

Image credit: UNI