The Kartarpur Corridor: Five Years on

Nov. 9, 2024 marked 5 years of the inauguration of the Kartarpur Religious corridor. The corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak (Punjab, India) with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur (Pakistan) — which happens to be the resting place of Guru Nanak Dev ji the founder of the Sikh faith. 

 The Kartarpur religious corridor has facilitated a visa-free pilgrimage to Kartarpur (Pakistan) which has been a longstanding demand of the Sikh community. The agreement for the corridor was extended by both countries in October 2024.

Inauguration of the corridor: Significance of timing

Significantly, Nov.  9 also happened to be the day the Berlin Wall broke 35 years ago. This historical event was referred to during the inauguration of the corridor. What is also significant about the inauguration of the corridor is that it happened months after Pakistan had snapped trade and diplomatic ties with India after the latter’s decision to revoke Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and relations between both countries had literally gone rock bottom. 

Logistical issues

It is true that due to logistical factors the number of pilgrims, per day, using the corridor is well below the number which had been targeted. The major logistical problem is the fact that a passport is a must for using the corridor (several individuals in Punjab’s villages who are key to visit Kartarpur do not possess passports). Apart from this, there is also a $20 fee for pilgrims. There has been a demand for waiving this fee. 

The Kartarpur Corridor is a symbol of peace

Several commentators and analysts sceptical of people to people exchanges, who view diplomacy from a security lens, had been critical and pessimistic regarding the corridor. A few points need to be borne in mind.

First, the corridor has also been a meeting point for individuals for divided families from both sides. These re-unions have been facilitated by Punjabi Lehar — a Pakistani you-tube channel. These individuals would have not been able to meet but for the corridor. 

Second, the Kartarpur religious corridor has also been cited as an important instance of peace and harmony. In February 2020, UN Secretary-General António Guterres dubbed Kartarpur as a “corridor of hope” and went on to say:

“When we see so many parts of the world fighting in the name of religion, it’s necessary to say that religions unite us for peace and the best symbol is this shrine”.

Finally, it would be pertinent to point out, that in recent times there has been a growing clamour in Punjab (India) for the resumption of bilateral trade via the Wagah (Pakistan)-Attari (India) land crossing. The demand for the same has been raised by several political leaders, business groups and the farming community. When the corridor was inaugurated in November 2019, there was a hope that the corridor would lead to opening-up of several horizons for both Punjabs – especially in the context of economic and people to people links. While the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek E Insaaf (PTI) had given a go ahead to resume bilateral trade with India in essential commodities in 2021, this decision had to be scuttled due to political pressure. Even the current Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML-N government led by Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted the fact that the business community in Pakistan has been urging it to resume trade with India, while stating that it would not go ahead with resumption of trade. 

In April 2024, while speaking to pilgrims from India, Pakistan Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz extended an olive branch to India, while referring to the cultural affinity between people of both Punjabs. Said Maryam Nawaz:

“We wish to speak Punjabi here like the people of Indian Punjab. My grandfather, Mian Sharif, is from Jati Umra, Amritsar. When a Punjabi Indian brought soil of Jati Umra, I placed it on his (grandfather’s) grave.”

Recent statements made by Maryam Nawaz regarding the possibility of cooperation between both countries in general, and both Punjabs in particular, to deal with the common challenge of smog.

While the India-Pakistan relationship is complex and in recent years relations have witnessed a significant decline between both countries, the Kartarpur Corridor has been an important link between both countries – especially both the Punjabs. It remains to be seen if the corridor could pave the way for reduction of tensions between India and Pakistan and for a harmonious and peaceful South Asia. In the immediate future, all eyes would be on whether some of the logistical issues pertaining to the Kartarpur corridor can be addressed and whether it can lead to opening-up of other vistas for both countries.

[Photo by Harvinder Chandigarh, via Wikimedia Commons]

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.