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With reference to impending Kartarpur Corridor agreement renewal, Foreign Office (FO) released a statement on Wednesday confirming the renewal of an agreement with Indian government for the facilitation of the pilgrims desiring to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal. As per the renewal, the agreement is now extended for an additional five years period.
As per details, in early 1999, the Kartarpur Corridor was first proposed by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as part of the ‘Delhi-Lahore Bus Diplomacy’. But after 19 years, former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan laid down the foundation of Kartarpur Corridor on November 26, 2018 and inaugurated it on November 12, 2019 on the 55thbirth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. While inaugurating the Kartarpur Corridor at that time, Imran Khan stressed the importance of peace between Pakistan and India. He also told the Sikh community in India that Pakistan had opened its arms for the Sikh community. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also compared this decision with the ‘Fall of the Berlin Wall’.
Reportedly, the Kartarpur Corridor was renewed through the diplomatic channel between Pakistan and India on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. A statement from the Foreign Office said, “Originally signed on October 24, 2019 for a five-year term, the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement is set to complete its initial duration on 24 October 2024. Its renewal underscores Pakistan’s enduring commitment to fostering interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.”
Indian government has also urged the Pakistani government to wave off the USD 20 service charges per pilgrim per visit. However, as per the renewed agreement, the pilgrims including overseas Indians can enjoy visa-free travel from the town of Dera Baba Nanak to Zero Point.
From 2019 up till now, almost 2,50,000 pilgrims have visited Gurudwara Sri Darbar Sahib by using the Kartarpur Corridor from India to Pakistan.
It is worth mentioning here that United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appreciated Pakistani government’s gesture of hospitality and positivity towards religious minorities. He said that “it reflects Pakistan’s recognition of the importance of safeguarding the rights of the religious minorities. The initiative has earned widespread appreciation from the international community and it can be described as a “Corridor of Hope”.
Same story on other websites:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1866939
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/renewal-of-kartarpur-corridor-agreement-significant-for-honouring-spiritual-aspirations-of-sikhs-nadda/
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