India's further demands jolt Kartarpur talks on remaining modalities

The demands by India deferred the talks as Pakistan immediately refused to accept them.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – As Pakistani delegation held high-level talks with India to finalise the remaining modalities on the proposed Kartarpur Corridor for the visit of Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the Indian delegation placed more demands, which in consequence hurdled the finalisation of the project.

India has asked Pakistan to increase the number of visiting pilgrims to 10,000 per day into the country, exclusion of service fee for pilgrims and demanded that ‘protocol officials’ be also allowed come along with the visitors at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Baba Guru Nanak.

These demands deferred the talks as Pakistan immediately refused to accept them.

Importantly, Pakistan has already accepted India’s demand of facilitating visa-free movement of 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day, and now they will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur.

Furthermore, Pakistan has allowed pilgrims choice to visit the shrine individually or in form of groups.

India has also asked Pakistan to allow Sikh pilgrims prepare and distribute alms (langar or free meal) amongst visitors at the shrine’s almonries.

Earlier, both countries pledged to complete construction of the corridor by the end of October and the fourth round of talks on ‘recommendations of Pakistan’ will be held next week.

Yesterday’s meeting was scheduled to take place on the Indian side of the Wagah-Attari Border where the two countries were expected to finalise the draft agreement pertaining to opening of the corridor.

Before departing for the talks, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal told the media that Pakistan has already completed 95 percent of the work on this side of the border – as the proposed corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.

He had expressed hope to expedite the process of completion of the corridor.

The Pakistani delegation was led by South Asia and SAARC Director General and Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal.

The meeting took place four days after the technical experts from India and Pakistan held talks on the Kartarpur Corridor on Friday, the first such meeting after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status leading to simmering tensions between nuclear-armed rivals in South Asia.

The meeting had lasted for about two hours and both sides have called it “good progress” on the technical aspects of the proposed Kartarpur Corridor. The technical level talks pertained to the alignment of the corridor and sharing of coordinates of border crossing points and other infrastructure.

The corridor will also be the first visa-free corridor between the two neighbours since their independence in 1947.

Pakistan is building the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, while the other part from Dera Baba Nanak up to the border will be constructed by India.

India is constructing a bridge at the zero point and has urged Pakistan to build a similar bridge on its side that will provide safe and secure movement of pilgrims and address concerns regarding flooding. The bridge is over a creek of which the majority part falls in Pakistan.

The project is on schedule for inauguration in time for Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary to be celebrated in November this year.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Reacting to India’s move on Kashmir, Pakistan has taken a number of actions, including downgrading of diplomatic ties, suspension of trade and rail traffic, and expulsion of the Indian High Commissioner.