The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that clarifications on a number of issues regarding the Kartarpur Corridor remain unaddressed by Pakistan.

Briefing the media in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that while India remains committed to realise the aspirations of the people, Pakistan has not responded to India’s concerns about “controversial elements” getting associated with a Pakistani committee on the Corridor.

“It’s important to remember we remain committed to realise aspirations of people. Aspirations which flow out of pending demand of Indian pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib using the Corridor,” he said.

“At the same time, there are certain things which came to our notice. We had sought clarifications from Pakistan on a number of issues. They remain unaddressed by Pakistan,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Stating why India decided to postpone the meeting on Kartarpur corridor, the MEA said that India had shared its “concerns on reports that controversial elements have been appointed by Pakistan to a committee which was to be associated with Kartarpur Corridor”.

“We’re yet to receive a response from Pakistan. That’s why we decided to postpone meeting,” Kumar said referring to the 2 April meeting to discuss Kartarpur corridor details.

Last week, on Friday, India had sought clarifications on reports that a ten-member committee on Kartarpur set up by the Pakistan cabinet three days back included controversial names such as Gopal Singh Chawla, a pro-Khalistan leader who is also associated with LeT, and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) former president Bishen Singh.

According to reports, New Delhi was hopeful that Islamabad will address the security concerns following which India will take the discussion forward.

India made it clear that the Corridor should not be used for anti-India activities including secessionist acts or propaganda. India wants pilgrims to travel safe and in a secure manner.

India had made key proposals at the last meeting held in Attari including allowing more than 5000 pilgrims daily and 15,000 on special days. Also, it has proposed that the corridor be made available to all irrespective of any religion.

India also proposed that the Corridor be made available for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders, to which Pakistan disagreed.  India has also asked for the corridor to be open on all seven days in a week.