ISLAMABAD: *Australia strongly responds over Pakistan government newinitiative for regional peace.*
Australia has welcomed Pakistan’s initiative for opening the KartarpurCorridor for Sikh pilgrims on Wednesday.
Australian Deputy Secretary Foreign Affairs Department Richard Maude whocalled on Pakistan’s Additional Secretary Asia Pacific Zahoor Ahmed, inIslamabad.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the entire gamut of bilateralrelations, including political, economic, trade and investment at the 6thround of Pakistan-Australia Bilateral Political Consultations.
The Australian side was briefed on the Indian government’s aggressiveposturing after its illegal and unilateral actions to change theinternationally recognized disputed status of Indian Occupied Jammu andKashmir and alter its demographic structure.
Australian side appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in the Afghanpeace process and in the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.
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The next round of Pakistan-Australia Bilateral Political Consultations willbe held in Canberra on mutually agreed dates.
Earlier, Japan had expressed the hope that the opening of KartarpurCorridor would promote people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan andIndia.
In a statement, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ofJapan, Ohtaka Masato, welcomed the fact that the move would enable Sikhpilgrims from India to visit Gurdawara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan easilyand safely.
