India and Pakistan Renew Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor Agreement for Five More Years
In a significant development, India and Pakistan have renewed the agreement concerning the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for an additional five years, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday. This renewed agreement aims to facilitate the pilgrimage of Indian devotees to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, located in Narowal, Pakistan.
The original agreement, which was signed on October 24, 2019, allowed Indian pilgrims to visit this sacred site without the need for a visa. It initially had a validity of five years and has now been extended to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the corridor for the benefit of pilgrims.
In their statement, the MEA highlighted the continued requests from pilgrims for the removal of the $20 service charge imposed by Pakistan on each visitor. India urged Pakistan once again to refrain from levying any fees on the pilgrims, emphasizing the need for ease of access to this important religious site.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share the news of the agreement’s renewal, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government remains committed to facilitating the Sikh community’s access to their holy sites. Jaishankar provided a link to the official statement in his post, underlining the importance of this initiative for India’s Sikh population.
This agreement renewal marks a positive step in fostering greater cooperation between the two nations while also serving the spiritual needs of the Sikh community in India.
