Kartarpur corridor: Indian Sikhs ask Pakistan to allow daily entry of 5,000 pilgrims

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As the Kartarpur corridor development inches closer to its final stage, Sikhs in India have asked Imran Khan-led Pakistan government to allow free entry of at least 5,000 pilgrims daily to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

President of Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee Sardar Majinder Singh Sirsa wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asking the Pakistani government to increase the number of daily visitors from 700 to 5,000.

While media reports say Pakistan has been adamant on allowing 700 visitors on a daily basis.

The letter written by the president of Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee mentioned other requests as well, as such, to allow entry of at least 10,000 pilgrims on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev birthday, founder of Sikhism, to allow the corridor to remain open for all seven days, and grant entry without visa, and permit and without any fees.

The letter also sought permission to let foreign Indian citizens make an entry like other Indian citizens and allow the entry on foot.

Sardar Majinder Singh also appreciated Imran Khan for the speedy construction of the Kartarpur corridor in order to ensure its completion before the 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev.

Moreover, the Indian government has also written to Pakistan government seeking consent to allow Hindus and Muslims devotees to visit Gurdawara Darbar Sahib along with the Sikh pilgrims.

Last week, during the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, referring to Prime Minister Modi’s letter to his Pakistani counterpart, had mentioned that the former had also asked for the corridor to remain open throughout the year.

The talks over the ambitious Kartarpur corridor between India and Pakistan have hit a roadblock due to disagreements on both technical terms and the Khalistan impact.

India has notified Pakistan on its serious reservations over the presence of Khalistan movement’s Gopal Singh Chawla and the imminent threat of Kartarpur corridor being used for penetration of the Khalistan movement into India.

New Delhi has also recommended construction of a bridge over the River Ravi on the Kartapur corridor for seamless movement to the shrine.

While Pakistan has rejected the recommendation saying it would cut the country’s defence embankment.