Fate of Kartarpur Corridor hangs in balance post-Pahalgam terror attack

Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, suspense prevails over the functioning of the Kartarpur Corridor used by Sikh pilgrims to visit the final resting place of Guru Nanak in the neighbouring country.

The corridor links the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur.

Following the attack that claimed 26 lives on April 23 at Baisaran Valley in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India downgraded its ties with Pakistan.

The Centre has ordered the closure of the integrated check-post at the Attari-Wagah crossing between the two countries, among other measures. However, the Kartarpur Corridor remains open, with pilgrims continuing to visit the Pakistan shrine. So far, the Centre too has not ordered the closure of the passage while the security around it has been strengthened.

An Army officer, who is closely involved in the corridor’s security mechanism, said it is a question of which country blinks first.

According to BJP sources, it would be a tough call to make for the party-led Union Government as they are trying hard to increase their vote base in Punjab, for which it needs the Sikh support.

The source said nobody would like to tinker with the initiative, lest it angers the all-important Sikh vote.

Meanwhile, officials of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), who work at the corridor, continue to await news pertaining to the initiative’s future.

Repercussions for Pak

On the other hand, the Pakistan government stands to lose the revenue it collects from devotees if it decides to discontinue the prestigious venture. The Kartarpur Corridor was opened on November 9, 2019 on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s 550th birth anniversary.

Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake visa-free travel throughout the year to the historic gurdwara in Pakistan. According to an agreement signed between India and Pakistan, a total of 5,000 pilgrims per day can cross over to the neighbouring country for paying obeisance at the gurdwara.

Currently, nearly 200 devotees visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan on weekdays. This count increases to 300-400 pilgrims on weekends.

The Pakistan government takes a fee of USD 20 from every pilgrim. This amount is collected at the Pakistani integrated check-post (ICP) built across the border.

The only time the corridor was shut was during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was closed in March 2020 and opened after 20 months.

(With PTI inputs)