No formal consultation with New Delhi on opening Kartarpur Corridor: FO

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Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said there has been no formal communication regarding opening the Kartarpur Corridor between Pakistan and India, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.

"However, Pakistan is open [for discussion] on the issue," Dr Faisal said during his weekly media briefing.

Earlier this month, the government had said that it had proposed to open the Kartarpur border crossing with India for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib without a visa.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Pakistan Sikh Council held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club to thank the government over their decision to open the Kartarpur border for the 550th birthday celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak.

"This is good news not just for the Sikh communities of both Pakistan and India but for Sikhs living all over the world as well as it will enable Sikh pilgrims to visit their places of worship here without a visa, representatives of the community said during the press conference.

Responding to a question, the FO spokesperson said that a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Shusma Swaraj has not been finalised yet.

The FO spokesperson also said that Pakistan denounces the use of force by India against innocent civilians in held Kashmir.

He said that ongoing human rights violations in India-held Kashmir by the New Delhi regime are highly condemnable.

Dr Faisal said that blatant human rights violations in India-held Kashmir are on the rise. He said Indian forces killed 14 youth in Kulgam, Sopore, and Samba areas recently.

Replying to another question, Dr Faisal said the next meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) is expected to be held in the second week of October.

He said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have also discussed the restoration of the consular services in Jalalabad as soon as possible.

'FO clears Pakistan's position in Iran's nuclear deal'

Regarding Iran's nuclear deal, the FO spokesperson said that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) represents a very good example of the settlement of complex issues through dialogue and diplomacy.

He said unilateral withdrawal and arbitrary rescinding of the agreement, which was an outcome of decade-long efforts of diplomats, would undermine the confidence of the international community in dialogue and diplomacy.

He said Pakistan's position in Iranian nuclear deal is in line with the principles of upholding international agreements as per the international law and global relations.

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