Indian delegation in Pakistan on Thursday for Kartarpur Corridor discussions
Indian and Pakistani officials will meet today in Islamabad for continued discussions surrounding the implementation of the Kartarpur Corridor.
The Corridor is a proposal to allow visa-free travel for Indian Sikh pilgrims to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
Today’s talks come amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad following repeated military clashes in Kashmir last month. While the discussions would normally be seen as cooling relations, the Corridor has been largely separate from the broader tensions.
Ahead of upcoming national elections on April 11, Indian PM Narendra Modi has made Pakistan a prime target as he seeks to bolster his Hindu nationalist reelection platform. In response, Pakistani PM Imran Khan said he expects “another misadventure” from India and believes the possibility of war still hovers over the neighbours.
Both sides have said that today’s talks are in no way a resumption of bilateral dialogue. With roughly three out of four Indians viewing Pakistan as a threat, it is likely that Modi continues to ramp up his nationalist rhetoric, only intensifying the situation as Pakistan also refuses to back down. As the April 11 election approaches absent true bilateral discussions, expect tensions between the two countries to remain high.
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