New Delhi, Sept 7: Responding to Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa's sabre-rattling remarks, Congress leader and Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said "peace and talks are the only way forward" for India and Pakistan.

Gen Bajwa, while addressing the 53rd Defence Day programme in Islamabad, said Pakistan is geared up to "avenge the blood of its soldiers shed on the border".

The Army chief further provoked India by referring to the people of Kashmir as "Indian-occupied-Kashmir".

Sidhu, without categorically explaining the remarks of Bajwa, said the two sides should amicably resolve the long-pending disputes in a conducive atmosphere.

"No comments. The only way forward is talks. The only way forward is peace," he said, on being asked to react on the remarks of Gen Bajwa.

Sidhu further claimed that Pakistan would take a major step towards improving ties by opening the border route to Kartarpur Sahib shrine, located in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab.

"They (Pakistan) are ready to open the corridor of Kartarpur Sahib on the 550 birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. There can be no bigger happiness than this for the people of Punjab," he added.

Sidhu had last month drawn flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal for "hugging" the Pakistan Army chief at the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 07, 2018 03:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).