No anti-India activity, 5,000 visa-free access a day, assures Islamabad
Pakistan on Sunday agreed to allow 5,000 pilgrims per day to Kartarpur and acceded to most of the issues raised by India during the meeting held between delegations of the two countries on the Pakistani side of the Attari-Wagah Border to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur corridor.
Islamabad also assured that no Pakistan-based individuals and organisations will disrupt the pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara after India handed over a dossier to Pakistan about such elements.
Pakistan has “in-principle agreed” to build a bridge to connect with the Indian side and visa-free travel for Indian passport holders and OCI card-holders.
After the second round of talks on the project on Sunday, Home Ministry Joint Secretary SCL Das said Pakistani officials confirmed that controversial Sikh leader Gopal Singh Chawla had been dropped from various bodies, including as secretary general of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC).
New Delhi had earlier conveyed its strong concerns to Pakistan over the presence of the leading Khalistani separatist in a committee appointed by Islamabad on the project.
“We have shared our concerns regarding individuals or organisations based in Pakistan who may try to disrupt the pilgrimage and misuse the opportunity,” Das told a Press conference at the Attari Border on the Indian side
“To highlight the concerns, we handed over a dossier today containing information about these organisations and individuals which may pose a kind of potential threat to our pilgrims. We have handed this over with a request that they seriously act upon it,” Das said.
The Pakistan side assured the delegation that no anti-India activity would be allowed, the joint secretary, who headed the Indian delegation, said. On Chawla, Das said, “We had sought confirmation that individuals like Gopal Singh Chawla were removed from the bodies to which we had raised objection. So they confirmed in that Chawla had been removed from PSGPC and other bodies.”
He said the Pakistani side was apprised of the ban imposed by Government of India on the US-based pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’. “We told them that we have declared this organisation (SFJ) unlawful and given them our gazette notification banning it. We told them we have information that this organisation is also operating from their land,” he said.
The Indian delegation also sought consular presence in the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara to be able to provide assistance to pilgrims if required, a statement by the External Affairs Ministry said. The Indian delegation comprised representatives from Home Ministry, External Affairs Ministry, Defence Ministry, the Punjab Government and the National Highway Authorities of India.
India has been urging Pakistan that 5,000 pilgrims be allowed every day and 10,000 additional pilgrims be allowed on special occasions with no restriction in terms of faith. Das said the delegation raised the issue of encroachment and acquisition of land belonging to the gurdwara.
“We have requested Pakistan to honour religious sentiments and remove the encroachment, besides restoring the encroached land to the gurdwara,” he said. The statement said Pakistan has agreed to look into the issue. The work on the four-lane highway to the crossing point at the International Boundary is progressing well and is on schedule, officials said.
It will be completed by September-end. India is constructing a state-of-the-art construction passenger terminal facility that can accommodate 15,000 passengers, they said.
The bone of contention is connecting the two sides at the zero point which was also discussed.
India is constructing a bridge at the zero point and has urged Pakistan to build a similar bridge on its side that will provide safe and secure movement of pilgrims and address concerns regarding flooding.
Another option proposed by Pakistan is building a causeway which is also not acceptable to India as it has been insisting on an all-weather bridge. The bridge is over a creek of which the majority part falls in Pakistan.