Kartarpur and Kashmir: Pakistan courts controversy on historic day

Both Imran Khan and the Pak foreign office took shots at India on Saturday

imran-khan-kartarpur-afp-01 Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the inauguration | AFP

Balloons with the Sikh symbol of the nishan sahib rose up in the bright blue sky to mark the inauguration of the biggest peace initiative between India and Pakistan—the Kartarpur Corridor. But it was another K that loom large over the bright white gurudwara—Kashmir.

Both Prime Minister Imran Khan and the foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi both flagged the 'K' word repeatedly—claiming that it was a “human rights’’ issue—in their speeches.

“They are being treated like animals. Peace won’t prevail like this. Because of this our relations have stopped. If Prime Minister Modi is listening to me, peace prevails through justice. Give justice to the people of Kashmir,’’ said Khan.

While Khan in a veiled reference to Narendra Modi said good leaders are those who bring people together giving the example of Nelson Mandela, Qureshi chose to hit out at Modi by saying that Modi should give Imran Khan a chance to thank him by opening up the Juma Masjid in Srinagar. Pakistan raising Kashmir is likely to be a red flag for New Delhi.

The raising of Kashmir is a deliberate strategy by Pakistan at every forum. But, so far, this has not really had any negative impact on India.

What is likely to fuel the situation further is the Pakistan foreign office issuing a statement expressing “concern’’ over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Babri Masjid, case saying the “decision ... failed to uphold the demands of justice’’. In a strong statement, the ministry of external affairs rejected “the unwarranted and gratuitous comments’’, saying it was India’s internal matter.

And for once, it might have not also struck the right chord with the audience.  “Politics should be left out,’’ said Mandeep Kaur from Maharashtra who had travelled from Delhi to attend the inauguration. “We are very thankful to Imran Khan. My family were from Punjab and left after Partition. My mother longed to visit this shrine, but she couldn’t. I have been fortunate to do so. If we bring politics in we both have problems with each other.”

But, beyond the bitter politics that has come to define the relations between India and Pakistan, it was also a day that provided just a hint of the possibilities if there was peace. As pilgrims across the world thronged the freshly-made sparkling white gurudwara—the biggest in these parts—the mood was of gratitude. Balwinder Kaur had come from California to be witness to history. This was her third visit to Kartarpur. “I am lucky,’’ she smiled. “But this is such a special day. I am blessed. I have only gratitude in my heart.’’

Pilgrims made history by crossing over to Pakistan from Dera Baba Nanak, for the first time since Independence. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was seen accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur. Other members of the delegation included Union Minister for Urban Development Hardeep Puri and actor MP Sunny Deol—whose appearance on the big screen sent a shiver of excitement in the audience.