Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement extended for 5 years: India urges Pakistan to not levy $20 service charge

India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the validity of the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement for an additional five years.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Oct 22, 2024, 10:22 PM IST | Last Updated Oct 22, 2024, 10:22 PM IST

India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the validity of the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement for an additional five years. The agreement, initially signed on October 24, 2019, facilitates the travel of Indian pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal, Pakistan, and was set to expire this year.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the extension on Tuesday, stating, "It has been agreed between India and Pakistan through diplomatic channels to extend the validity of the Agreement on Sri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for a further period of five years."

Also read: PM Modi to hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, first in 5 years

"The Agreement, signed on 24 October 2019 to facilitate the visit of pilgrims from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, was valid for a period of five years," the statement added.

"Extension of the validity of this Agreement will ensure uninterrupted operation of the Corridor for use by the pilgrims from India to visit the holy Gurdwara in Pakistan," the MEA said.

'Don't levy any fee or charges on pilgrims'

The MEA also urged Pakistan to waive the 20 dollars service charge currently levied on pilgrims for each visit, aiming to reduce financial burdens on visitors to the revered site.

"In view of the continued requests of pilgrims regarding the removal of USD 20 service charge levied by Pakistan per pilgrim per visit, India has once again urged Pakistan to not levy any fee or charges on the pilgrims," the MEA said.

This significant development follows External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's recent visit to Islamabad to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nine years.

About Kartarpur Sahib Corridor

The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor agreement, hailed as a landmark step towards fostering people-to-people ties between the two nations, enables visa-free travel for Indian pilgrims and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. The corridor allows for daily visits throughout the year.

The Gurdwara, located on the west bank of the Ravi River in Pakistan's Narowal district, is one of Sikhism’s holiest sites. It marks the place where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent the final 18 years of his life.

On the Indian side, Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak is situated about 1 km from the international border in District Gurdaspur, Punjab, on the east bank of the Ravi River.

Also read: 'Relations so tight, no translation needed': Russia's Putin makes PM Modi laugh during bilateral talks (WATCH)

For more reliable and latest news

subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.