Pakistan has renewed its agreement with India regarding the Kartarpur Corridor, which allows Indian Sikh pilgrims visa-free access to the final resting place of their founder, Guru Nanak. This announcement was made by the Pakistani foreign office on Tuesday.
Inaugurated in November 2019, the visa-free border crossing from India to Kartarpur, located in the Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab, was launched just ahead of the 550th birthday celebration of Baba Guru Nanak. The corridor connects the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak in India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, symbolizing a rare instance of cooperation and diplomacy between the two South Asian nations.
Originally signed on October 24, 2019, for a five-year term, the Kartarpur Corridor agreement was set to expire soon. The renewal emphasizes Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to promoting interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence, as stated by the foreign office.
“This agreement continues to provide visa-free access for Indian pilgrims, allowing them to visit the sacred site of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak spent his final days. Since its inception, the corridor has facilitated the pilgrimage of thousands of worshippers to this holy site,” the statement noted.
Significant Sikh heritage sites are located in Pakistan. When the country was established from India at the end of British rule in 1947, Kartarpur ended up on the Pakistani side of the border, while the majority of the Sikh population remained in India. For over seventy years, the Sikh community has advocated for easier access to their holiest site.
Pakistan’s initiative to open the corridor has received widespread praise from the international community, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who referred to it as a “Corridor of Hope.”
“The Kartarpur Corridor fulfills the long-cherished aspirations of the Sikh community for access to one of their most revered religious landmarks,” the Pakistani foreign office stated, highlighting the country’s recognition of the importance of safeguarding the rights of religious minorities.
