Even as India has affirmed that talks and terrorism cannot go hand in hand, the decision to open a corridor to Kartarpur is being seen as diplomacy with few parallels. Its significance cannot be lost coming as it does on the eve of the year-long celebrations marking Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
The Union Cabinet was quick in approving doing up the road leading to the international border and onward to Gurdwara Karatarpur Sahib in Pakistan where Guru Nanak spent 18 years. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to perform the ground breaking ceremony today on their side of the international border.
Despite Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib being hand shaking distance from the IB, the travesty of the blow hot, blow cold relationship between the two neighbours and the powerful military establishment in Rawalpindi being a spoiler has put paid to efforts in trying to normalise relations between the two neighbours. It may be recalled that Benazir Bhutto had suggested having a visa-free corridor to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in 1996.
At the same time, New Delhi needs to be cautious and circumspect in its approach as the ever optimistic feel Indo-Pak relations can change very quickly over unexpected issues. The words being spoken in this regard is indicative of the hard bargaining ahead.
New Delhi believes there should be no restriction on pilgrims and the corridor should remain open not just on special occasions but all through the year. Simultaneously, the announcement by both sides shows that while diplomatic contacts have remained stymied, back channels have been activated. There is apprehension that negotiations for the spiritual journey does not turn hawkish as evidenced in the past.
It will not be wrong to assume that Islamabad’s and, in particular, their powerful Army establishment’s preference can well decide the fate of the corridor. It will be to India’s advantage to promote people-to-people contacts even as politicians cutting across party lines supported the initiative.
Will this much touted pilgrimage corridor lead to fruition? The four km corridor is being viewed as yet another confidence building measure. If this fructifies, it can become a template for cross border exchanges based on faith like providing access to the Kashmiri Pandits to visit the Sharada Peeth in the Neelam Valley in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.
Then, the Sufis in Pakistan wishing to visit the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer and the Sikhs both in this country and Pakistan want to visit important shrines on both sides of the border. A lot depends on how quickly the two neighbours act on their commitment now that President Ram Nath Kovind has laid the foundation stone on the Indian side of the corridor on Monday.
A lot will depend on how New Delhi and Islamabad manage their relationship steering clear of making pilgrims a pawn in the bilateral tensions. It is also important that issues relating to the corridor are dealt in a non-political manner and the details left to the diplomats and officials to sort out.
The Kartarpur project affords an opportunity to both sides to engage in a positive and purposeful manner. This assumes signficiance in the wake of hardly any other avenue available for bilateral engagement. It is the first time that Pakistan has publicly accepted the demand for this corridor which was also proposed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his visit to Lahore in 1999.
Since then this issue has been raised intermittently by the leaders of the Sikh community. It is believed that taking forward areas of agreement is the only way forward for both New Delhi and Islamabad. Pakistan’s standing in the international community has steadily taken a beating, the latest being U S President Donald Trump’s hardening stance towards Islamabad. On his part, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly backed the project for facilitating the Sikh devotees by connecting Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to the holy site of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan. He had no doubt that if the Berlin Wall could fall, the Kartarpur corridor can be the reason for connecting the people of the two countries.
Pakistan watchers see this as a positive development. However, the million Dollar question remains if the move will yield results or will the road to peace with Islamabad fall by the wayside yet again.
T R Ramachandran is a senior journalist and commentator.