Daily Times

The happiness of the Sikh community at being able to come to Kartarpur for the 552nd birth anniversary celebrations of the founder of their faith, Guru Nanak, was visible on their faces. As was their deep gratitude to the government of Pakistan for giving them this opportunity. None of this would have been possible, of course, if not for the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been for developing religious tourism right from the beginning. This is unprecedented in our history because no other leader gave this phenomenon any thought whatsoever. And, as a result, the vast heritage that Pakistan has in terms of religious sites has remained untapped. Now, things are changing for the better for everybody. Yet the way the Modi administration in India has reacted to this particular development since the time the Kartarpur corridor was established is regretful. It’s clear for everybody to see, not the least the Sikh community, that Delhi has been doing what it can to sabotage this initiative because it has a one-track policy of hostility towards Pakistan. And it does not care if in the process it also tramples upon the rights of its own citizens.

That this has more or less coincided with Delhi’s embarrassing retreat from the farm bill, against which mostly the Sikh community protested, must have upset the extremist BJP government even more. Now, if the past is any guide, BJP-aligned pro-Hindutva groups will do what they can to sideline Sikhs for causing this embarrassment and also, in their point of view, playing into the hands of Pakistan. But if the way Sikhs are reacting to a very attractive opportunity is brining Delhi so much grief, then there might be more anguish in store for India not too far down the road; because the PM’s religious tourism idea is also going to build on old Buddhist sites that are littered across Pakistan, which will draw that particular community like bees to honey.

The Kartarpur initiative is also a great win for international diplomacy regardless of what the Indians say about it. The way Sikhs have descended upon Pakistan from all parts of the world because of it is a lesson in itself. The Pakistani government should ignore all the noise coming from across the eastern border and keep its eye on the ball, so to speak, so it is able to deliver many more such projects. Kartarpur is just the first step in this long journey, but a very important and instructive one. *