Hero Image

Actual attitude coming out: Sukhbir Singh Badal slams Pak for laying down restrictions on Kartarpur Corridor

Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday slammed Pakistan for proposing conditions on the Kartarpur Corridor. This has come after reports emerged that during the high-level delegation meet between India and Pakistan on March 14, the latter laid down several conditions on the proposed corridor. 

"Now when talks have started taking place, actual attitude of Pakistan has come out. Now they've started putting restrictions," Sukhbir Singh Badal was quoted by ANI as saying. 

According to reports, Pakistan has now made a volte-face on visa-free travel of the pilgrims replacing them with a special permit which would require police vetting. Above it, a fee for the special permit has also been proposed by the Pakistani government. 

On the number of pilgrims that was supposed to be around 5000 to 7000 a day, Pakistan has proposed a cap at 500 to 700 pilgrims a day. Moreover, limiting the number of days for travel is also on the cards. The biggest restriction that is being talked about is that of the corridor being open for only 2 years as against India's demand for the lifetime. 

Last November, both the countries had agreed to set up the corridor linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. For decades, Sikhs in India have been demanding a corridor that would provide easy access to the shrine, which is around three-four km from the International Border.

Earlier Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had also raised questions on the intent of Pakistan saying that their agenda was nefarious, political, and aimed at exploiting the sentiments of the Sikh community."India's agenda is religious but theirs (Pakistan) is totally disruptive," Amrindar was quoted by ANI as saying. 

READ ON APP