Kartarpur, November 28

Pitching for the normalisation of Indo-Pak ties, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan today said his government, the army and all political parties in the country are on the same page to improve ties with India and asserted that all issues, including Kashmir, can be resolved with “strength and will” of leadership of the two countries.

Khan, who will complete 100 days in office on Thursday, laid the foundation stone for the historic Kartarpur corridor linking two revered gurdwaras on both sides of the border here and used the ceremony to reach out to India, favouring steps to improve strained ties.

He said if France and Germany can have close and friendly ties after the bitter history of fiercely fighting with each other, then why can’t India and Pakistan mend their relationship.

Khan mentioned Kashmir as the one major issue between the two countries but did not talk about cross-border terrorism, which India has been maintaining as a major stumbling block for resumption of talks between the two sides.

In New Delhi, the External Affairs Ministry criticised Khan for referring to Kashmir in such a pious ceremony and reminded Pakistan that cross-border terrorism is a major issue.

The event was attended by Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Hasimrat Singh Badal and cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu. Praising Sidhu’s effort for peace between the two countries, Khan said he had become very popular in Pakistan and if he ran in elections here, he would win.

Khan said he understood the happiness of the Sikh community following the decision of both sides to develop the corridor linking Darbar Sahib in Pakistan — the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder Guru Nanak — with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur.

“The happiness I see in you today, if I were to explain to my Muslim brother and sisters, is that imagine that you are standing 4 km outside Medina (a city in Saudi Arabia where the Prophet is buried) and cannot go in, and you are then given the chance to go. That is the happiness I see here,” he said. — PTI

Kashmir sole issue

• We have one issue which is Kashmir. Humans have reached the Moon. Which issue can’t be solved? Can’t we solve one issue? We only need determined leadership on both sides. — Imran Khan, Pakistan PM

Regrettable: MEA

• It is deeply regrettable that Pakistan PM chose to politicise the pious occasion meant to realise the long-pending demand of the Sikh community by making unwarranted reference to J&K. — MEA

Imran on Sidhu

• I hope we do not have to wait till Sidhu becomes Wazir-e-Azam… I want a good relationship with India. People want peace… Pakistan will take two steps if India takes one step. — Imran Khan, Pakistan PM