Pakistan and India hold talks on Kartarpur corridor project

LAHORE: Pakistan and India are currently holding a meeting at the designated zero point to discuss the plan for the Kartarpur corridor project.

According to official, technical experts and foreign office officials from both sides are participating in the talks.

During the talks, the installation of a border fence and road design will be discussed, official added.

The talks between the two sides are taking place at the Kartarpur zero point, the official said.

On March 29, India had decided to postpone the Kartarpur Corridor meeting between the two sides at Wagah border scheduled for April 2. “Pakistan regrets the Indian decision to postpone the upcoming Kartarpur meeting, jointly agreed by both sides on 14 March 2019. The meeting was to discuss & find consensus on outstanding issues,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal had said. 

During the first meeting between Pakistan and India on March 14, New Delhi had decided not to grant visas to Pakistani journalists to cover the event.

On March 19, Pakistan and India held a technical meeting at the designated zero point to discuss the plan for the Kartarpur corridor project.

During the meeting, the technical experts indicated areas related to the corridor. Both sides set up border fencing around the Kartarpur corridor.

The Kartarpur Corridor connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Narowal district with Dera Baba Nanak in India’s Gurdaspur.

Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab province holds religious significance for the Sikh community. It is where Baba Guru Nanak settled down after his travels as a missionary. He lived there for 18 years until his death in 1539.

Pakistan will build the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur while the other part from Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab’s Gurdaspur district up to the border will be constructed by India.

In November last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone for the corridor. Former Indian cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, Indian Minister for Food Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Indian Minister for Housing Hardeep S Puri had attended the groundbreaking ceremony.