India And Pakistan Extend Visa-Free Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh Pilgrims

In a significant move of cooperation, India and Pakistan have agreed to renew the visa-free Kartarpur Corridor for an additional five years. The announcement, made by Islamabad on Monday, highlights the continuation of a unique initiative that allows Indian Sikhs to visit a key religious site in Pakistan.

The decision to extend the Kartarpur Corridor agreement follows Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s recent visit to Islamabad. His attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit marked the first time in nearly a decade that a senior Indian diplomat participated in an event in Pakistan.

While Jaishankar’s visit was focused solely on the SCO, it set the stage for the corridor’s renewal, reflecting a moment of constructive engagement between the two countries.

Kartarpur: A Sacred Pathway For Sikh Pilgrims

Launched in 2019, the Kartarpur Corridor offers Indian Sikhs direct access to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the site where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, passed away in 1539. The visa-free corridor allows pilgrims to cross the international border with ease, promoting religious freedom and cultural exchange. The five-year extension ensures that Sikhs will continue to have access to this important spiritual site.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office emphasized the significance of the renewal, stating that it reflects “Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.” Given the historical context of Punjab—divided between India and Pakistan after the 1947 partition—the Kartarpur Corridor serves as a rare unifying force for Sikhs separated by the border and offers hope for families still affected by partition.

A Glimmer Of Cooperation Amid Limited Diplomatic Ties

Despite the positive step, both India and Pakistan reiterated that there were no bilateral talks during Jaishankar’s visit, keeping the focus strictly on the SCO summit. However, the extension of the corridor agreement highlights the potential for selective cooperation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, even as diplomatic ties remain strained.

The Kartarpur Corridor has been hailed as a “peace corridor,” representing a symbolic yet meaningful gesture of reconciliation. During his 2020 visit to the site, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to it as a “corridor of hope.” It serves as a reminder that, even amid political tensions, religious and cultural ties can pave the way for dialogue and cooperation.

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