New Delhi: India has realised that Pakistan has a very narrow view that does not reflect its much-publicised and perceived image of generosity towards Indian Sikh pilgrims on the Kartarpur issue, government sources said on Saturday, indicating that the two countries have major differences on working out modalities for movement of pilgrims to visit the historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara near the border in Pakistani Punjab.
It may be recalled that at a meeting on Thursday at Attari in (Indian) Punjab between Indian and Pakistani official delegations, New Delhi had sought visa-free access from Pakistan for 5,000 pilgrims per day to visit the historic Kartarpur Gurdwara. The meeting had taken place to discuss the opening of a planned corridor for pilgrims between Punjab’s Gurdaspur district and Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistani Punjab across the border.
But sources said that in response to India’s request for visa-free travel, Pakistan wanted to introduce a permit system for Indian Sikh pilgrims and also impose fees for it. Sources said this showed that Islamabad’s perceived generosity for Indian Sikh pilgrims was not matched by its attitude shown during these discussions. There are also reports that Pakistan wants much fewer—probably a few hundred—pilgrims only to cross over daily for the pilgrimage instead of the number of 5,000 that India had requested.
But surprisingly, the two countries had officially played down any differences in their joint statement earlier that said the meeting was “cordial”. The joint statement had said the two countries “held detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalising the Kartapur Sahib Corridor”. The two neighbours have also “agreed to hold the next meeting at Wagah (in Pakistani Punjab) on April 2, adding that this would “be preceded by a meeting of the technical experts on March 19 at the proposed zero points to finalise the alignment”.
Both countries had initially proposed different zero points for the border crossing of the Indian Sikh pilgrims and will have to ink an agreement to finalise a common zero point for alignment of the corridor being built by the two sides on their respective territories for the pilgrims.
India is already working on creating facilities for the “corridor” on its side from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to the International Border with all modern amenities to facilitate movement of up to 5,000 pilgrims daily who will cross over into Pakistani Punjab. The Indian Government has already identified 50 acres of land for the corridor on its side.
The two countries are expected to hammer out an agreement on the modalities that will enable Indian Sikh pilgrims to travel on the special “corridor” for the pilgrimage to the Gurdwara where Guru Nanak had spent the last years of his life in the first half of the 16th century AD. It may be recalled that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had presided over the ground-breaking ceremony on November 28 last year for creation of the corridor from the border to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistani Punjab that will enable “easy and smooth” travel to Kartarpur Sahib.
