By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan and India have agreed to operationalize Kartarpur Corridor by November this year to provide visa free access to the Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib on the occasion of 550th birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak , the founder of Sikh religion.
The third round of talks between the two countries on Kartarpur Corridor was held in Indian border town of Attari on Wednesday.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal.
Later talking to the media persons, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said despite tension in relations, the meeting between the two sides remained positive.
He said the two sides have almost agreed to the draft agreement on the operationalization of Kartarpur Corridor except two or three points. He said most of the obstacles have been overcome and the Indian side will have to demonstrate political flexibility to address the remaining issues.
The spokesperson was confident that we are inching closer to the opening of Kartarpur Corridor by November.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said Pakistan has invited the Indian side for a final meeting on our side of the border to resolve the remaining sticking points.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan has completed ninety percent work on the Kartarpur corridor and it is committed to open the corridor on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
It was also decided that 5,000 pilgrims can visit Holy Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib using the Corridor every day while additional pilgrims, over and above the figure of 5,000, can visit on special occasions, subject to capacity expansion by Pakistan side. Pakistan has conveyed its solemn commitment to increase this number to the maximum possible.
The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan’s district of Narowalwith Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Indian Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib.
