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India: Importance of the Reopening of Kartarpur Corridor After 1.5 years

The reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor on 18 November 2021 after 1.5 years, on the eve of the 552-birth commemoration (19 November 2021) of the founder of the Sikh religion Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is of significant importance for several reasons.

However, just months after the opening of the Corridor, it had to be shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic flare-up in the region and the world. The travel of pilgrims to Pakistan through the passage was suspended since March 2020, and the neighbouring nation restricted all travel from India due to the surge in covid cases in April 2021. 

Pakistan on 9 November requested India to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor from their side and permit Sikh pilgrims to visit the holy shrine for celebrating Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's birthday. After the reopening announcement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted: This decision shows the immense respect of Modi govt towards our Sikh community and Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. 

  The reopening of the Corridor by the Central Govt. came into speculation as it was linked to the upcoming assembly polls in Punjab and it would help to attract voters impacted by the farmer’s protest. However, Som Parkash, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, denied the accusations. The PM reopened the Corridor remembering the sentiments of the Sikh people, and denied the allegations that the authority has opened it, centring on the upcoming assembly polls in the state of Punjab, Prakash added. 

Moreover, many prominent political outfits had requested the government to reopen the Corridor. On Saturday, Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu welcomed the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor and stated that it was conceivable with the endeavours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Pakistan's PM Imran Khan. 

Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi had also declared that the whole state Cabinet would visit Kartarpur Sahib on 18 November as a feature of the primary delegation following the reopening of the passage. After paying homage at Gurudwara Darbar Sahib (Kartarpur), Channi stated that the recovery of bilateral relations via Punjab would begin a new age of prosperity and development.

The Kartarpur Corridor has been called a passage of peace and endless opportunities for both sides. Kartarpur is a small town that was established by Shri Guru Nanak Ji, where he spent the last years of his life alongside his followers.

The Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated on the eve of the 550th birthday of Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on 9 November 2019 by Pakistan's PM Imran Khan. Imran stated that it would help boost the tourism industry and trade for two sides of the nation.


Kartarpur Corridor










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