- Agreement’s renewal underscores Pakistan’s enduring commitment to fostering interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence, says FO
- Renewed for five years, agreement was initially signed on October 24, 2019
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India renewed the agreement for another five years to allow Indian Sikh yatrees to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur via visa-free corridor.
The foreign office announced here on Tuesday the renewal of the agreement, which was originally signed on October 24, 2019 for a five-year term and was due to expire its initial duration on October 24, 2024.
“The Government of Pakistan has announced the renewal of the Agreement between the Republic of India and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan for an additional period of five years,” read a foreign office statement.
“Agreement’s renewal underscores Pakistan’s enduring commitment to fostering interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence,” it added.
The agreement continues to offer visa-free access to pilgrims from India enabling them to visit the sacred site of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, where Baba Guru Nanak, the revered founder of Sikhism, spent his final days. Since its inception, the corridor has facilitated the pilgrimage of thousands of worshippers to this holy site.
“The Kartarpur Corridor fulfills the long-cherished aspirations of the Sikh community for an access to one of their most revered religious landmarks,” the foreign office said.
The foreign office said it reflected Pakistan’s recognition of the importance of safeguarding the rights of religious minorities.
The Kartarpur initiative was the first visa-free corridor established between Pakistan and India. Earlier, Sikh Yatrees had to take a longer route to visit Kartarpur shrine and endure many bottle necks to obtain a visa.
The opening of the corridor has allowed Sikh yatrees to visit their holy shrine without any hassle.
Back in 2019, the Then prime minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the corridor while former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh, Navjaut Singh Sidhu and other Indian politicians were in attendance.
