Islamabad, September 19: Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal today said that there had been no formal communication between India and Pakistan on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. However, Faisal also added that Pakistan was positive about the opening of the corridor. The Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson stated, “There has not been a formal communication yet. Pakistan remains open and positive, but there has not been a formal communication yet.”

Faisal’s statement came just a day after Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj rebuked Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for messing up Kartarpur Sahib Corridor dialogue. Yesterday, Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Union Minister for Food and Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal also slammed Sidhu for his Pakistan visit to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and hugging its army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Badal also claimed that Sidhu is misleading Indian people.

After his Pakistan visit, Sidhu claimed that the Pakistan Army Chief assured him of opening the Kartarpur Corridor on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Last week Pakistan’s information minister Fawad Ahmad Chaudhry stated that the Imran Khan government was considering to allow “visa-free direct access” to Kartarpur Sahib for Indian Sikh Pilgrims. According to reports, thousands of Sikh pilgrims have gathered near the international border in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to catch a glimpse of Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, situated 4.5km away in Pakistan’s Narowal district, across the Ravi River.

The Punjab Cabinet Minister drew flak for hugging Pakistan army chief, General Bajwa at the oath ceremony of Imran Khan On August 18. He was also criticised for sitting beside President of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) Masood Khan during the ceremony.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 19, 2018 05:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).