On a day of multiple developments on the India-Pakistan front, Islamabad ratcheted up tensions by announcing that it has test-fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile, warning that it could order the closure of its airspace for India “at a time of its choosing”, and declaring that Kashmir was the “cornerstone” of its foreign policy. At the same time, Pakistan confirmed a technical meeting Friday on opening the Kartarpur Corridor and a month-long visa process from September 1 for Sikh pilgrims to attend the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak at Nankana Sahib in November. It also claimed that it was in touch with India on granting consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian national jailed in Pakistan. In New Delhi, India said it strongly condemns “the highly irresponsible statements made by the Pakistani leadership on matters internal to India”. Also Read | Kartarpur Corridor will be inaugurated in November as per schedule, says Pakistan amid tense ties with India Referring to provocative statements, including by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, on the decision to revoke special status to J&K, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “We strongly condemn the highly irresponsible statements made by the Pakistani leadership on matters internal to India. These statements include references to Jihad and to incite violence in India. This is intended to project an alarmist situation, which is far from the ground realities.” The world, Kumar said, does not believe in Pakistan’s claims. “Pakistan needs to understand that the world has seen through their provocative and unsubstantiated rhetoric, which is based on lies and deceit,” he said. Regarding a letter written by Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari to UN officials alleging violations in Kashmir, Kumar said he did “not want to lend any credence. by reacting to it” as the “letter is not even worth the paper on which it is written”. Responding to reports of possible infiltration of terrorists, Kumar said: “We are aware that Pakistan has been using terrorism and cross-border terrorism as an instrument of its state policy. Pakistan has an obligation to take action against terrorists and terror groups emanating from its soil. Also, it is important for them to now start behaving like a normal neighbour. What do the normal neighbours do? You don’t push terrorists into a neighbouring country. You do normal talks, you do normal trade.” Kumar said there has not been any communication from Pakistan about closing its airspace. “What we understand is that there are certain sectors which are temporarily closed, that too for a certain period,” he said. The MEA spokesperson also said that India is “aware about the missile test”. On Kartarpur, sources said that following the technical-level meetings, India has proposed a meeting in the first week of September to “finalise the agreement on the modalities for (the) corridor at Attari”. In Islamabad, Pakistan military released video footage of a purported “night-training launch” of the 290-km range ballistic missile Ghaznavi, reportedly from a range in Balochistan. According to experts, the Ghaznavi could be an improved “Scud-type ballistic missile” with a warhead that can be conventional, high explosive and nuclear. Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal, meanwhile, said the issue of closing airspace to Indian flights had been discussed at the highest level. “It is one of the many options that are being considered, we can exercise it at a time of our choosing. No decision has been taken as yet,” he was quoted as saying by Dawn. On Kashmir, he said: “Resolution of Kashmir according to UN resolutions is the cornerstone of our foreign policy.” Faisal also said that the Kartarpur meeting will be held at Zero Point, where the Indian and Pakistani sides of the corridor will converge. “India concurred with Pakistan’s proposal and the technical meeting on Kartarpur Sahib corridor is being held on August 30,” he said. Pakistan and India are discussing the modalities regarding opening of the corridor at Narowal, 125 km from Lahore, for Indian Sikh pilgrims on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on November 12. Also Read | Punjabi diaspora puts investment in Pakistan side of Kartarpur corridor on hold On Jadhav’s case, Faisal said Pakistan and India were in contact on the “issue of granting consular access”. Pakistan had promised consular access to Jadhav nearly six weeks ago, saying on August 1 that it would be done the next day. In Lahore, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said the visa process for the Guru Nanak birth anniversary event will start Sunday. “The visa process for Sikh pilgrims from India and other countries will start from September 1 and complete by September 30,” he said. (With PTI in Islamabad & Lahore)
