Australia welcomes opening of Kartarpur Corridor by Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Australia has welcomed Pakistan’s initiative for opening the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims on Wednesday.

Australian Deputy Secretary Foreign Affairs Department Richard Maude who called on Pakistan’s Additional Secretary Asia Pacific Zahoor Ahmed, in Islamabad.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, economic, trade and investment at the 6th round of Pakistan-Australia Bilateral Political Consultations.

The Australian side was briefed on the Indian government’s aggressive posturing after its illegal and unilateral actions to change the internationally recognized disputed status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and alter its demographic structure.

Australian side appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in the Afghan peace process and in the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.

The next round of Pakistan-Australia Bilateral Political Consultations will be held in Canberra on mutually agreed dates.

Earlier, Japan had expressed the hope that the opening of Kartarpur Corridor would promote people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan and India.

In a statement, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Ohtaka Masato, welcomed the fact that the move would enable Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan easily and safely.

The United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA) had also welcomed the opening of Kartarpur Corridor as a step towards regional, religious peace and harmony.