Kartarpur Talk Not Resumption of Bilateral Dialogue with Pak: MEA

India has been prompted to demand an early restoration of these lands to the shrine after Pakistan allowed rampant encroachment on the lands belonging to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Nalowal district of its Punjab Province, ANI reported quoting government sources on Friday, 15 March.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of the first meeting on the Kartarpur Corridor, MEA joint secretary Deepak Mittal on Thursday had said, "This doesn't mean resumption of any bilateral dialogues with Pakistan."

The Indian side further said on Thursday, 14 March, that it had stressed that 5,000 pilgrims should be allowed to visit every day in the first phase of the project and that the travel should be absolutely visa-free.

The two countries concluded their first meeting on Thursday to finalise the modalities for setting up of a corridor linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistani town of Kartarpur with Gurdaspur district in Punjab, three months after the two countries agreed on the project.

The next meeting will be held in Wagah on 2 April.

Pakistan expressed disappointment over India's decision to not issue visas to Pakistani journalists to cover the first meeting between the two countries on the Kartarpur Corridor.

"Regrettable that India has not given visas to Pakistani journalists for the Kartarpur meeting tomorrow," Dr Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted.

It is not known how many journalists had applied for visas to cover the meeting.

"Hope the #PakKartarpurSpirit and meeting tomorrow will bring a change for the better for people of both countries," he added.

Pakistani delegation reaches Wagah Border to hold discussions with India over Kartarpur Corridor.

India and Pakistan kicked off their first meeting to finalise the modalities for setting up of a corridor to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

India and Pakistan issued a joint statement after talks on the Kartarpur corridor. Here’s what the statement said:

“The first meeting to discuss the modalities and the draft agreement for facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the Kartarpur Corridor was held today at Attari, India in a cordial environment.

Both sides held detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalizing the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

Both sides also held expert level discussions between the technical experts on the alignment and other details of the proposed corridor.

It was agreed to hold the next meeting at Wagah on 2 April 2019. This will be preceded by a meeting of the technical experts on 19 March 2019 at the proposed zero points to finalize the alignment.”

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal also took to Twitter to share the joint press statement of India and Pakistan on the Kartarpur Corridor after the first meeting.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar took to Twitter after the conclusion of talks on the Kartarpur Corridor on Thursday, saying they were oriented towards respecting the sentiments of the people.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of the first meeting on the Kartarpur Corridor, the Indian side said on Thursday, 14 March, it had stressed that 5,000 pilgrims should be allowed to visit every day in the first phase of the project and that the travel should be absolutely visa-free.

SCL Das, the joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs who led the Indian delegation, said that the Pakistani side has assured them that it would revert on New Delhi's demands. "We hope that in the next round of talks, we would be able to deliver," he added.

On the demand for visa-free travel, Das asserted that there should not be any additional encumbrances in the form of any additional documentation or procedures.

The Indian side also suggested that pilgrims should be allowed to travel on foot to the Kartarpur shrine and that the corridor should remain open for seven days a week.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of the first meeting on the Kartarpur Corridor, MEA joint secretary Deepak Mittal said, "This doesn't mean resumption of any bilateral dialogues with Pakistan."

"Our position on the dialogue is very clear... Today. what we had was a meeting on the issue of the Kartarpur corridor, with an objective that pilgrims can have an easy access to Kartarpur Sahib," he added.

India has approved state of the art passenger terminal building to handle 5000 pilgrims daily, 15,000 on special occasions, whereas Pakistan has sought to put a limit to only 500 pilgrims per day, ANI reported quoting government sources.

“Pakistan assured visa free access to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, however, now it has asked for requirement of issue of special permit to each pilgrim, defeating purpose of dedicated corridor. It is asking to restrict to only 500 Sikh ‘Yatris’ a day, no movement on foot, to travel only in groups of 15.”

Pakistan has "surreptitiously usurped" lands belonging to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in the name of developing a corridor for the convenience of pilgrims and objected to most of the Indian proposals for the project, reflecting its "double-speak", officials said on Friday, PTI reported.