After the first meeting held on Thursday between India and Pakistan discussing the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that India urged Pakistan to allow the opening of the corridor and pressed on the need for arranging the visit of at least 5,000 pilgrims per day initially in the first phase of the project, ANI quoted SCL Das as saying.
After the first meeting held on Thursday between India and Pakistan discussing the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that India urged Pakistan to allow the opening of the corridor and pressed on the need for arranging the visit of at least 5,000 pilgrims per day initially in the first phase of the project, ANI quoted SCL Das as saying.
“Our side pressed on the need for arranging the visit of at least 5000 pilgrims per day to begin with, in the phase 1 of the project. This should include not only Indian nationals but people of Indian origin as well,” said MHA.
In the spirit of the corridor, the MHA emphasised on a visa-free entry into the corridor and said: “There should not be any additional encumbrances in the form of any additional documents or procedures.”
Keeping in mind the special days including Gurupurab and Baisakhi when the corridor would receive a massive footfall, the MHA said, “We’ve strongly urged them to allow, bcos ppl from all over the country&world will be coming for all 7 days throughout the yr without any break, provide for a much higher size of ‘jathhas’ of visiting pilgrims by another 10,000 on special days like Gurupurab, Baisakhi.”
Delegations from India and Pakistan held the first meeting today to discuss the modalities and the draft agreement for facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the Kartarpur Corridor. The meeting at Attari was done in a cordial environment, according to the joint statement released by both countries.
Earlier today, in a statement MHA said, “Both sides held detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalizing the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.”
It further added, “Both sides also held expert level discussions between the technical experts on the alignment and other details of the proposed corridor. It was agreed to hold the next meeting at Wagah on 2 April 2019.”
India and Pakistan last year agreed to open a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur – the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder Guru Nanak Dev – to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan since the Pulwama terrorist attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.
“Our side pressed on the need for arranging the visit of at least 5000 pilgrims per day to begin with, in the phase 1 of the project. This should include not only Indian nationals but people of Indian origin as well,” said MHA.
In the spirit of the corridor, the MHA emphasised on a visa-free entry into the corridor and said: “There should not be any additional encumbrances in the form of any additional documents or procedures.”
Keeping in mind the special days including Gurupurab and Baisakhi when the corridor would receive a massive footfall, the MHA said, “We’ve strongly urged them to allow, bcos ppl from all over the country&world will be coming for all 7 days throughout the yr without any break, provide for a much higher size of ‘jathhas’ of visiting pilgrims by another 10,000 on special days like Gurupurab, Baisakhi.”
Delegations from India and Pakistan held the first meeting today to discuss the modalities and the draft agreement for facilitation of pilgrims to visit Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the Kartarpur Corridor. The meeting at Attari was done in a cordial environment, according to the joint statement released by both countries.
Earlier today, in a statement MHA said, “Both sides held detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalizing the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.”
It further added, “Both sides also held expert level discussions between the technical experts on the alignment and other details of the proposed corridor. It was agreed to hold the next meeting at Wagah on 2 April 2019.”
India and Pakistan last year agreed to open a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur – the final resting place of Sikh faith’s founder Guru Nanak Dev – to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan since the Pulwama terrorist attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.