India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the Kartarpur Corridor agreement for another five years, ensuring continued access for Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan. However, the unresolved issue of a $20 fee per pilgrim, charged by Pakistan, remains.
Significance of Kartarpur Sahib for Sikhs
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, commonly referred to as Kartarpur Sahib, holds immense religious significance for Sikhs. It is where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent the final 18 years of his life preaching. After the Partition of India in 1947, Kartarpur Sahib was located in Pakistan’s Narowal District, Punjab Province. Since then, Sikhs from around the world, especially India—home to over 95% of the global Sikh population—have sought access to the sacred site.
Kartarpur Corridor Agreement
In October 2019, India and Pakistan signed an agreement to open the Kartarpur Corridor, allowing Indian pilgrims to visit the gurdwara without a visa. The initial agreement was valid for five years and has now been renewed for another five-year term.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the renewal, stating, “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.” The extension ensures the uninterrupted operation of the corridor for Indian pilgrims visiting the holy site.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also confirmed the renewal on social media platform X, writing, “India and Pakistan have renewed the agreement on Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for the next five years. PM @narendramodi’s government will continue to facilitate our Sikh community’s access to their holy sites.”
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No Bilateral Talks During Jaishankar’s Pakistan Visit
Jaishankar recently visited Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit but did not engage in any formal bilateral discussions with his Pakistani counterpart. However, he greeted Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a state dinner for SCO delegates and briefly exchanged pleasantries with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Despite these interactions, no official talks took place, and there were no note-takers present.
Ongoing Fee Dispute
One unresolved issue in the Kartarpur Corridor agreement is the $20 fee that Pakistan charges each pilgrim per visit. Indian devotees have consistently urged the Indian government to push for the removal of this fee. The MEA reiterated India’s stance in a recent statement, saying, “In view of the continued requests of the pilgrims regarding the removal of USD 20 service charge levied by Pakistan per pilgrim per visit, India has once again urged Pakistan to not levy any fee or charges on the pilgrims.”
Although the renewal of the corridor agreement marks progress, the fee waiver remains a sticking point in the ongoing discussions.
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