Kartarpur Corridor: India, Pak Hold Talks at Attari-Wagah Border
India and Pakistan on Thursday, 14 March, kicked off their first meeting to finalise the modalities for setting up of a corridor linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistani town of Kartarpur with Gurdaspur district in Punjab, three months after the two countries agreed on the project.
In the meeting currently underway at the Indian side of the Attari-Wagah border, New Delhi is likely to press for hassle-free travel of Indian pilgrims to the Pakistani side besides asking Islamabad to insulate them from any propaganda by Khalistani separatists, official sources said.
The meet comes amid tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF jawans martyred.
- The Indian delegation comprises representatives from Union Home Ministry, External Affairs Ministry, BSF, National Highways Authority of India and Punjab government
- Sources told PTI that India may request Pakistan to allow visit of the Indian pilgrims to the gurdwara without any passport and visa
- Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan’s Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine
- The government has identified 50 acres of land for the Kartarpur corridor and it would be developed in two phases
Indo-Pak Talks Over Kartarpur Underway
India and Pakistan kicked off their first meeting to finalise the modalities for setting up of a corridor to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
Pak Delegation Reaches Wagah Border
Pakistani delegation reaches Wagah Border to hold discussions with India over Kartarpur Corridor.
Pak Expresses Disappointment over Denial of Visas to Journalists
Pakistan expressed disappointment over India's decision to not issue visas to Pakistani journalists to cover the first meeting between the two countries on the Kartarpur Corridor.
"Regrettable that India has not given visas to Pakistani journalists for the Kartarpur meeting tomorrow," Dr Mohammad Faisal, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tweeted.
It is not known how many journalists had applied for visas to cover the meeting.
"Hope the #PakKartarpurSpirit and meeting tomorrow will bring a change for the better for people of both countries," he added.