Linking my statement to Sikhs a misleading act, says FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday that his recent statement was wrongly attributed to the Sikh community to deliberately create misunderstanding.

The FM was reacting to Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, who had said that Qureshi’s statement about Prime Minister Imran Khan delivering a ‘googly’ is disrespectful towards Sikh sentiments.

In his tweet he said: "Dragging my comment towards "Sikh sentiments" is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent & mislead."

FM Qureshi said that he immensely respects the sentiments of the Sikh community and his words were taken out of context.

He said that he spoke of India-Pakistan bilateral relations, adding that distorting facts or creating contention does not change things.

In another tweet he said: "In deference to the long-standing desires of our Sikh brethren, we decided to open the Kartarpur Corridor. We have taken this historic initiative in good faith and will carry it forward in good faith."

He further said that Pakistan made the historic decision about Kartarpur Corridor upon good will.

On Dec 1, Swaraj on Twitter had posted: “Mr Foreign Minister of Pakistan - Your ‘googly’ remarks in a dramatic manner has exposed none but YOU. This shows that you have no respect for Sikh sentiments. You only play ‘googlies’.”

Earlier, Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan had bowled a “googly” to make sure that the Indian government has its presence at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor.