Kartarpur Talks Inconclusive as Pakistan Insists on Charging Fee For Sikh Pilgrims
This was the third round of talks held between the two sides to formulate the details related to the functioning of Kartarpur corridor. Once operational, it would connect Sikh pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. The 4-km distance will be a visa-free route, with Islamabad agreeing to allow 5,000 pilgrims per day.
Chandigarh, September 4: The secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, held in Attari on Wednesday, remained inconclusive as a final agreement could not be chalked out for facilitating the movement of Sikh pilgrims to Kartarpur. Preliminary reports have suggested that the Pakistani delegation's insistence on charging a fee on all pilgrims was the major obstacle in inking of the final agreement.
This was the third round of talks held between the two sides to formulate the details related to the functioning of Kartarpur corridor. Once operational, it would connect Sikh pilgrims from Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. The 4-km distance will be a visa-free route, with Islamabad agreeing to allow 5,000 pilgrims per day. Kartarpur Corridor: How to Reach Dera Baba Nanak to Visit Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan From Various Cities of India.
Although the imposition of fee on pilgrims remained a subject of contention, both sides have agreed on other aspects of the route, including emergency evacuation procedures and medical emergencies. "A direct line of communication between Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers will be used for the same," an MHA source was reported as saying.
Here's What Initial Reports Said:
Corridor Will be Operational For 7 Days:
Levy of Fee Unagreeable for India
Apart from the non-imposition of fee, the Pakistani delegation has also turned down India's request to allow a protocol officer to accompany the Sikh pilgrims to and fro the Kartarpur corridor.
The differences, said reports citing sources, could be resolved in the days to come. Both the nations have decided to open the route by November this year, when the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, will be observed.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2019 02:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).