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At Kartarpur talks, Pak agrees to bridge divide

The landmark Kartarpur corridor cleared major hurdles on Sunday after Pakistan agreed, in principle, to India’s requests of building a bridge across the river Ravi, visa-free travel for Sikh pilgrims, and an increase in the daily number of devotees, as both countries narrowed bilateral differences and committed to opening the 4.7km stretch by November.

The corridor will link the shrine of Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Punjab to Pakistan’s Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak. The two countries plan to open the corridor for Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary on November 12, when millions of Sikh devotees from across the world are expected to throng the holy sites.

Pakistan is building the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib while the section from Dera Baba Nanak up to the border is being constructed by India. “We have been able to narrow down the differences since the first meeting held on March 14. Our technical teams will meet further to ensure seamless connectivity. Details will be further worked out,” said home ministry joint secretary (internal security) SCL Das, who led the Indian delegation.

India and Pakistan have agreed to maintain “a channel of communication” to quickly finalise the “agreement on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor,” a home ministry statement added. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal, who was leading the Pakistani delegation, said there was positive progress in the corridor talks. “ Both countries have agreed 80% and beyond regarding the Kartarpur corridor agreement,” he said, adding that the two sides would resolve the remaining 20% issues in the next meeting.