India, Pakistan Renew Kartarpur Corridor Agreement for 5 Years
India and Pakistan have agreed to renew the Kartarpur Corridor agreement for another five years, allowing continued access for Indian pilgrims to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.
This renewal follows External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, though no bilateral talks were held during the summit.
Kartarpur Sahib: A Sacred Site for Sikhs
The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, located in Pakistan’s Narowal district, is a holy site for Sikhs, as it was where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent the last 18 years of his life. After the Partition of India in 1947, the shrine fell on the Pakistani side of the border, leading to long-standing demands from the Sikh community for access to this revered site.
The Kartarpur Corridor, which facilitates Indian pilgrims’ visits to the shrine, was first inaugurated in 2019 after India and Pakistan signed an agreement. This corridor enables visa-free access for Indian Sikhs, a milestone in bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
$20 Fee Issue Persists Despite Agreement Renewal
While the renewal ensures uninterrupted use of the corridor, the issue of Pakistan charging a $20 fee per pilgrim, per visit remains unresolved. Sikh devotees have repeatedly urged the Indian government to negotiate with Islamabad to waive the fee, but no breakthrough has been achieved on this matter.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the extension, stating, “The validity of the agreement has been extended to ensure uninterrupted operation of the Corridor for use by pilgrims from India.”
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also shared the development on social media, affirming the government’s commitment to facilitating access to Sikh holy sites.
