ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal, at the weekly media briefing, on Thursday said that Pakistan expected India to appreciate its gesture of opening visa-free Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims, which was taken in the spirit of promoting peace and harmony in the region.

Dr Faisal said approximately 12,000 Yatrees were present on the occasion of the corridor’s inauguration, including 5,000 Indian pilgrims who came through Wagah and about 5,000 from across the world. About 700 pilgrims came through Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

Responding to a question about the ‘review and reconsideration’ of death sentence for Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by military’s Field General Court Martial in the wake of the International Court of Justice’s verdict, the spokesman said: “All actions will be in line with the laws of Pakistan. The decision of the ICJ will be honoured in the light of laws of Pakistan”.

He ruled out “any deal” on Jadhav.

Foreign Office spokesman rules out ‘any deal’ on issue of spy Kulbhushan Jadhav

Replying to a question about the visit of Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and the Inter-Services Intelligence’s director general to Kabul, he confirmed the trip and said that it yielded an agreement “to enhance mutual coordination and take steps to move forward”.

It was further agreed to hold a meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity in Kabul in December.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2019