Daily Times

In accordance with the Article 36 of its Constitution, Pakistan is a strong proponent of granting and protecting basic and religious rights to/of the minorities. This article says, “The state shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interest of minorities, including their due representation in the Federal and Provincial services”. The development of Kartarpur corridor is meant to promote religious freedom and harmony of the minorities. Many Sikhs Yatrees from India and all over the world visit Pakistan every year to visit their sacred worship places, a majority of which is located in this country.

Pakistan is very conscious of the sanctity of Sikh community’s worship places, which are kept in a good shape so that Sikh Yatrees can stay here and carry out their religious rituals very comfortably. After the development of Kartarpur Corridor, Pakistan will facilitate the visit of 5,000 pilgrims round the year and 10,000 pilgrims on special days. The development of the Kartarpur Corridor is to allow the South Asian and world’s Sikh community to observe their religious obligations befittingly thus reinforcing Pakistan’s endeavours to respect and safeguard equal religious freedom and basic rights of all minorities.

The Kararpur Corridor project is funded by the Government of Pakistan with no foreign funding involved and the Ph-1 of the project is intended to be completed before the 550th Birth Anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, mainly to facilitate Sikh Community to celebrate the holy day. The Government has acquired 1500 acres of land for the development of Kartarpur Corridor at the cost of Rs. 15 Billion. Development work on the corridor is in full swing. Wherein, over 70% of the infrastructure has already been developed, the remaining work will be completed by the last week of September 2019.

The infrastructure development of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is being done while taking care of all religious and historic provisions. Moreover, the development work has been planned in consultation with the renowned religious scholars of Sikh community with a view to preserve the legacy of Baba Guru Nanak Sahib and sanctity of other holy places, including Gurdwara building, Khui Sahib and Khaiti Sahib. Transport facility for Sikh pilgrims visiting with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur has been arranged.

The Kartarpur Corridor is expected to open doors for region’s economic growth and boost the tourism industry on both sides. People of both cities want peace and development; it will generate economic connectivity between two Punjabs

The initiative of developing the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh community is a great goodwill gesture by the Government of Pakistan. Indian inhibitions regarding Pakistan’s motives are a clear proof that India is not in favour of granting full religious rights to its minorities especially the Muslims and the Sikh community. From the perspective of the Sikh community, visa free access to the holy place would be a benefiting tribute to Guru Nanak, who rose to break the stranglehold of the oppressive systems of social and religious orders in nascent Punjab.

The Kartarpur Corridor is expected to open doors for region’s economic growth and boost the tourism industry on both sides. People of both cities want peace and development; it will generate economic connectivity between two Punjabs. It is a significant step towards reconciliation and is likely to foster shared cultural and historical linkages. In future, Pakistan is also considering a similar arrangement for Hindu pilgrims who want to visit the Katas Raj Temple and Sharda Peeth; monuments of historic and spiritual value.

Pakistan is a peace loving country and it wants to co-exist peacefully with its all neighbours, including India. Hence, the development of the Kartarpur corridor is an initiative of Pakistan to extend a hand of reconciliation and friendship to India, in a good spirit of seeking peace and friendship with it by resolving all disputes through a dialogue. In this context, Pakistan thinks that to break the ongoing logjam it is necessary to enhance people to people contacts, which will be greatly promoted by the development of the Kartarpur corridor.

Pakistan’s efforts towards achieving regional / international peace and stability are well known. Pakistan has sacrificed over 70,000 lives in the war against terrorism and due to its effective counter terrorism strategy, it has defeated it comprehensively. The development of the Kartarpur Corridor is another effort to promote regional peace and coherence for a bright future for the people of the region, by realizing peace and friendship between Pakistan and India.

By contributing towards durable a peace and good relations between Pakistan and India, the Kartarpur corridor is also likely to help in advancing trade and economic relations and promoting tourism between the two countries. The mutual trade of agricultural products between both the countries, especially between the agriculture rich two Punjabs will greatly contribute towards facilitating the timely provision of staple food items, sugar, wheat, vegetables and fruits at lower prices, thus helping the people of both the countries. This will also encourage tourism between both countries. Thus, mutual trade and tourism will help them to earn a lot of foreign exchange and enhance their economic growth. Factually, building of the Kartapur corridor is a win win situation, provided India welcomes it in the same spirit as Pakistan is doing.

The writer is a former Research Fellow of Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Islamabad and Senior Research Fellow, Strategic Vision Institute, Islamabad