India wants visa-free travel to Kartarpur

India wants visa-free travel to Kartarpur

1. India has asked for a visa-free access from Pakistan during the meeting of Indian and Pakistan Officials to finalise the modalities of the proposed cross-border Kartarpur corridor.
2. The meeting is being held to discuss the draft agreement which consists of(a)dedicated corridor that will allow pilgrims from India to visit the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara without obtaining a visa and (b) development of the border infrastructure, which will be state-of-the-art terminal and convenient for elderly pilgrims.
3. The Kartarpur Corridor is a 4km long proposed corridor comprising border gates, road and a bridge to link Dera Baba Nanak gurdwara in Gurdaspur district in India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan.It is aimed at allowing the easy movement of Sikh pilgrims to the Kartarpur gurdwara.
4. The gurdwara in Kartarpur stands on the bank of River Ravi, about 120 km northeast of Lahore. It is revered as Guru Nanak’s final resting place.
5. Pilgrimages between India and Pakistan are governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines. The Kartarpur Corridor, which will provide visa-free access from India to the shrine inside Pakistan, may need a separate treaty.