India and Pakistan extend Sri Kartarpur Sahib corridor agreement
- In Reports
- 11:20 AM, Oct 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
India and Pakistan have reached an agreement to extend the validity of the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for another five years, as announced through diplomatic channels on Tuesday. The original agreement, signed on October 24, 2019, facilitates the travel of Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal, Pakistan, and was initially set to expire after five years.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “It has been agreed between India and Pakistan through diplomatic channels to extend the validity of the Agreement on Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for a further period of five years.” This extension ensures that pilgrims can continue to use the corridor without interruptions.
Additionally, the MEA urged Pakistan to refrain from imposing any fees on the pilgrims, as Pakistan currently charges a $20 service fee per person per visit. This development follows External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad, the first by an Indian minister in nine years, where he attended a meeting for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The corridor was established in 2019, enabling visa-free travel for Indian pilgrims and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders to the Gurdwara throughout the year. Kartarpur, located on the west bank of the Ravi River, holds special significance as the place where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent the last 18 years of his life.
The Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak, about 1 km from the Indo-Pakistan border, lies on the east bank of the river, while the town of Kartarpur is situated on the west side in Pakistan. Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib is located in Narowal district, approximately 4.5 km from the international border near the historic Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab.
Since its inauguration in November 2019, nearly 250,000 pilgrims have used the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor to visit the revered Gurdwara, highlighting its importance for devotees.
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