By Shashwat Bhandari

Copyright timesnownews

Chandigarh: A day after the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup match, which was played amid widespread boycott sentiments across the country in view of Pahalgam terror attack, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday questioned that if playing cricket with Pakistan is acceptable, then why can’t Sikh devotees visit the Kartarpur Sahib corridor. Addressing a press conference, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asked, ‘If playing cricket with Pakistan is acceptable, then why can’t Sikh devotees visit Kartarpur Sahib?'” India Pauses All Ties With Pakistan After Pahalgam Terror Attack India has adopted a no-business foreign policy with Pakistan, pausing all diplomatic and people-to-people ties after the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent tourists—including 25 Indians and one Nepalese—were brutally shot dead in front of their families while vacationing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam valley. In a strong response that Pakistan will remember for decades to come, India kept in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, reduced Pakistan’s diplomatic staff in New Delhi, asked all Pakistani nationals in India to exit the country, among other measures. Operation Sindoor Biggest Blow To Pakistan But the biggest blow to Pakistan was ‘Operation Sindooor’, when the Indian armed forces pounded Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) with precision strikes, reducing terrorist hideouts and infrastructure to rubble, and dismantling Pakistan’s air defence capabilities. As the nation was healing from the Pahalgam pain, the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 match came under heavy clouds of boycott calls. Though there was a pan-India sentiment among fans who did want to play against Pakistan, the match did take place as it was a multilateral event. However, India has clarified its stand that there will be no bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan, meaning neither will Pakistani players visit India for any cricket tournament, nor will India visit them. Also, during the start of yesterday’s game, and when India delivered a humiliating defeat to Pakistan, the Indian players displayed a symbolic protest by not shaking hands with the rival team. But since India did play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann has now asked that if cricket is acceptable, then why can’t Sikh pilgrims visit the Kartarpur Corridor to offer prayers?