- Indian and Pakistani officials have held the first meeting to finalise the modalities of the proposed cross-border Kartarpur corridor.
- During the meeting,Indian officials have objected to Pakistan’s (a)encroachment on the land belonging to the kartarpur sahib (b) restriction on the duration of Kartarpur agreement to two years despite India making it clear that it is executing long-lasting facilities at the border and (c)requirement of issuance of special permits by Pakistan to pilgrims at a fee.
- The Kartarpur Corridor is a 4km long proposed corridor comprising border gates,road and a bridge to link Dera Baba Nanak gurdwara in Gurdaspur district in India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.It is aimed at allowing the easy movement of Sikh pilgrims to the Kartarpur gurdwara.
- The gurdwara in Kartarpur stands on the bank of River Ravi,about 120 km northeast of Lahore.It is revered as Guru Nanak’s final resting place.
- Pilgrimages between India and Pakistan are governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines.The Kartarpur Corridor,which may provide visa-free access from India to the shrine inside Pakistan,might need a separate treaty.
