Pakistan, India delegation visits will de-escalate tensions: Qureshi

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said the delegation-level visits scheduled between New Delhi and Islamabad will de-escalate tensions between the two neighbours.

New Delhi will discuss with Islamabad on March 14 the modalities of the operationalisation of the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate easy access by Indian Sikhs to Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan. The meeting will take place at the Attari-Wagah border crossing.

Qureshi comments came as he met Pakistani High Commissioner to India Sohail Mehmood.

"Pakistan desires de-escalation and an improvement in the current situation. The delegation-level visits will play a key role in this," he was quoted as saying by Geo News.

"In March, both the countries will hold consultations over the Kartarpur Corridor. Improved relations between India and Pakistan will lead to peace and stability in the region."

India had earlier said that the discussions with Pakistan over Kartarpur were in keeping with the government's decision to operationalise the corridor for easy access to the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Tensions between India and Pakistan worsened after the Kashmir suicide bombing on February 14 that killed 40 CRPF troopers and was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). India retaliated by bombing the terror group's biggest training camp in Balakot, Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Qureshi said that "Pakistan had informed the world countries, including P5, about Indian hostility" and added Prime Minister Imran Khan "clearly said that Pakistan will retaliate if India violates its airspace".

--IANS

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