Kartarpur talks: Pakistan to host Indian officials at Wagah shortly, pilgrim safety top agenda

Delegates from India and Pakistan will meet at the Attari-Wagah border on Sunday to discuss issues related to the Kartarpur Corridor. India will also raise its concerns over the security aspect. The project will allow easy access to Sikh pilgrims from India to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak.

“Issues pertaining to the modalities of the corridor, who can use the corridor and its facilities, how can the pilgrims move across with regards to documents required for the travel, how many pilgrims can travel will be on the agenda during the meeting,” sources said.

The meeting will take place on the Pakistani side, they added.

They also added that a “hi-tech and robust security system” will be in place when the corridor become operational.

“Security is paramount and non-negotiable,” they said.

Earlier, Islamabad has removed pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla from the Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Prabandak Committee (PSGPC).

The development comes amid reports that India was planning to convey it strong concerns about the presence of pro-Khalistani leader on a panel associated with the project.

New Delhi had reportedly raised the issue to Pakistan during the first round of talks that was held on March 14 on the Indian side of the Attari-Wagah border. The second round of talks, which was originally scheduled on April 2 was apparently postponed after India raised objections to it. 

In November 2018, Pakistan agreed to set up the border-crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak, to Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

Kartarpur is located in Pakistan's Narowal district, about four kilometres from Dera Baba Nanak.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had on November 26 last year laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor in Gurdaspur district.

Two days later, the Pakistani prime minister laid the foundation stone of the corridor in Narowal, around 125 km from Lahore.