DG ISPR laments Indian media's propaganda on Kartarpur initiative

RAWALPINDI: Major General Asif Ghafoor, director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Wednesday criticised the Indian media for subjecting Kartarpur corridor initiative to propaganda.

India last week gave the go-ahead to Pakistan’s proposal to build Kartarpur corridor to facilitate Sikh pilgrims wishing to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal District near the Indian border.

The proposal to construct the corridor providing visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims was renewed by Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in August this year.

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the corridor connecting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur area of Narowal district with Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district.

However, it appears the initiative, termed a step towards peace by the Pakistan Army chief, did not go down well with certain quarters of the Indian media.

The DG ISPR shared images of an Indian channel purporting a Khalistan activist meeting General Bajwa, at the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor between India and Pakistan, in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province on Wednesday.

The channel flashed the images with incendiary captions, "Pakistan provokes India at Kartarpur ceremony" and "Khalistani extremist with Gopal Chawla with Pakistan army chief."

Maj Gen Ghafoor responded to the baseless propaganda saying, "Indian media taking a myopic view is selectively showing Mr. Gopal Chawla meeting the COAS.

He lamented subjecting of a peace initiative between the two countries after decades to baseless propaganda.

"Army Chief met all guests at the venue irrespective of [their] identity," the Pakistani military spokesman said on Twitter.

"A peace initiative should not be subjected to propaganda."

India last week gave the go-ahead to Pakistan’s proposal to build Kartarpur corridor to facilitate Sikh pilgrims wishing to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal District near the Indian border.

The proposal to construct the corridor providing visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims was renewed by General Bajwa in August this year.

Pakistan will build the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur while the other part from Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab's Gurdaspur district up to the border will be constructed by India.

Addressing the ceremony, PM Imran thanked the Indian minister and foreign delegates for attending and explained that he witnessed such happiness on the faces of the members of the Sikh community today as Muslims feel when they go to Madina.

"We will keep improving Kartarpur corridor and next year you will see all facilities will be available there," he vowed.

"If India takes one step forward, we will take two steps forward," the premier said, in his renewed offer for talks with New Delhi. "We want to move forward in our relations with India.

"If France and Germany who fought several wars can live in peace, why can't India and Pakistan," he added.