India and Pakistan extend Kartarpur Sahib corridor agreement for five years
In a significant development, India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the validity of the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement for an additional five years, as announced by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday. Originally signed on October 24, 2019, this agreement facilitates the pilgrimage of Indian Sikhs to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district.
The Ministry emphasized that this extension aims to accommodate the ongoing requests from pilgrims. It reiterated India’s call for Pakistan to consider waiving the USD 20 service charge imposed on each pilgrim, a point of concern for many travelers.
In June, Pakistan granted 509 visas to Sikh pilgrims for the commemoration of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s death anniversary, scheduled for June 21-30, 2024. The Pakistan High Commission in India confirmed the issuance of these visas, highlighting the importance of this occasion. Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, known as ‘Sher-e-Punjab,’ was the first king of the Sikh empire in the 19th century.
Saad Ahmad Warraich, Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to assisting pilgrims on their journeys, adhering to the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines established in 1974. This protocol allows a significant number of Indian pilgrims to travel to Pakistan annually for various religious festivals, reinforcing cultural ties between the two nations.
