Sushma Swaraj not to attend Kartarpur corridor groundbreaking ceremony in Pakistan

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday said she will not visit Pakistan to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor next week, citing “prior commitments including election campaign.” She, however, said her colleagues Harsimrat Kaur Badal and HS Puri will attend the ceremony. “Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr. H.S.Puri,” he she tweeted. Swaraj also released a statement on her unavailability.

Responding to the invitation of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to attend the opening ceremony of Kartarpur Sahib corridor, EAM Sushma Swaraj writes,"We'll be sending Union Ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal & Hardeep Singh Puri as GoI's representative to the event." pic.twitter.com/45UwlLZJ2N

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2018

Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs.Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr.H.S.Puri. /2

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018

The move comes just a few hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi invited Swaraj, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to visit the country to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor.

"On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh & Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpura on Nov 28, 2018," Qureshi tweeted. 

In her tweet, Swaraj said: “thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Foreign Minister of Pakistan for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the Pakistan side of the International boundary on 28 November 2018.”

I thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Foreign Minister of Pakistan for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the Pakistan side of the International boundary on 28 November 2018. /1

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018

She added: “We hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible.”

We hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible. /3

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018

Earlier, India called off a meeting between Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, citing the "brutal" killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir and the release of the postal stamps "glorifying" Kashmiri militant Burhan Wani.