US changed its thinking for Pakistan after Pompeo visit: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said the United States changed its thinking for Pakistan after the recent visit of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to our country.

In a television interview, he said Pakistan extended the hand for negotiations but India withdrew its hand which exposed face of India at the international level and highlighted the positive image of Pakistan.

He said India showed negative approach by cancelling the scheduled meeting between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan.

Elections were near in India and anti-Pakistan slogans sell in India, he remarked.

The world was watching and the internal differences of India had come into the open, he said adding, “The world is saying that Pakistan is extending the hand of peace while India is rejecting it.”

“We will live in peace and we will say to those in India who favour peace that they should look at the role of their government and condemn its thinking.” He said today Pakistan was standing on the right side of history and it was ready to open the border at Kartarpura.

The minister pointed out that on the matter of Kartarpura border, debate had started between Indian Punjab and New Delhi. “Opening of Kartarpura is in the interest of people of Indian Punjab. We are fully prepared and wanted that border should be opened to facilitate Sikhs crossing the border for their religious worship. “We have set a procedure in this regard and completed the arrangements.”

He said DGMOs of India and Pakistan remained in contact and India had been unofficially informed about the situation. “Now India has to move forward and we want that when Sikhs come to Pakistan on the 450^th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, they should be provided facilities through Kartarpura border.”

He said India had a complaint that the army and the civilian government of Pakistan had different policies but our government and army had the same thinking. “We extended our hand for peace and it was the opportunity to take forward the peace talks.”

He said before taking oath, Prime Minister Imran Khan in his first speech said that if “they will take one step forward. We will move two steps forward”.

Fawad said, “We invited Kapil Dev, Navjot Sidhu and Gwaskar and Navjot Sidhu came to Pakistan and what is happening to him in India, it is before everybody.” He said army chief announced to open Kartarpura border to facilitate the Yatrees, adding it was a big step for the Sikh community of Indian Punjab. “I also said in my interviews that we are ready to open this border.”

Fawad reminded that India agreed that meeting would be held during the UN General Assembly session but it seemed the government of India was divided and non-serious and half of the people were in support of negotiations and half of the extremists did not want talks.