Pakistan and India have renewed their agreement to facilitate pilgrimages through the Kartarpur Corridor for an additional five years, as announced by the Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday.
The FO stated that the “Agreement between the Republic of India and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan” has been extended for another five-year term. Originally signed on October 24, 2019, this agreement was set to expire on Thursday.
The renewal highlights Pakistan’s commitment to promoting interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence. It continues to provide visa-free access for Indian pilgrims to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, where Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, spent his final days. Since the corridor’s establishment, it has allowed thousands of worshippers to visit this sacred site.
The Kartarpur Corridor fulfills the longstanding desire of the Sikh community for access to a revered religious landmark and reflects Pakistan’s dedication to protecting the rights of religious minorities. This initiative has received international acclaim, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling it a “Corridor of Hope.”
Indian Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated on X that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government would continue to facilitate access for the Sikh community to their holy sites.
For the approximately 30 million Sikhs worldwide, Kartarpur is one of their holiest locations. When Pakistan was formed in 1947, Kartarpur ended up on the western side of the border, while most Sikhs remained in India. The site is only four kilometers from the Indian border, leading many Sikhs to stand on the Indian side and gaze at the sacred site.
However, decades of tension between the two countries have imposed severe restrictions on visits. The Kartarpur Corridor was officially inaugurated by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in November 2019, allowing Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of their faith’s holiest sites in Pakistan without a visa.
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