Wagha, July 15: India and Pakistan on Sunday had the option to further limit their disparities on Kartarpur Corridor and said they have consented to most of the modalities to be concluded for the operational of Sikh pilgrims section. The two nations likewise consented to hold another gathering to officially finish up the deal.
“We have been able to narrow down the differences since the first meeting held on March 14, 2019. Our technical teams will meet further to ensure seamless connectivity. Details will be further worked out,” SCL Das, Joint Secretary, Internal Security, Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, told media persons.
Das, who headed Indian team of the delegation during the second Joint Secretary-level dialogues with Pakistan in Wagah, said: “Both sides have agreed to maintain a channel of communication and work towards finalization on the agreement of modalities. If required, our delegations could meet in India to formally concluding the agreement.
“More than 80 percent of the agreement has been agreed and one or so meeting will be required,” added Faizal, who headed Pakistan delegation.
Aside from Das, the Indian appointment was driven by Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary, PAI- – Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Different authorities included Rajeev Singh Thakur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defense Parag Jain, Joint Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Avi Prakash, Joint Director, IB, Hussan Lal, Secretary, Public Works Department, Punjab, and Maneesh Rastogi, Chief General Manager of the National Highways Authority of India.
During the gathering, India communicated its worry over conceivable flooding of Dera Baba Nanak and abutting territories in India because of the earth filled dike street.
“We conveyed concerns regarding possible flooding of Dera Baba Nanak and
adjoining areas in India as result of earth filled embankment road or causeway proposed to be built by Pakistan on their side,” said Das.
He additionally said India has emphasized its solicitation that 5,000 pioneers ought to be permitted to visit the Gurdwara consistently and in any event 10,000 additional travelers are permitted to visit on extraordinary events.
“There should be no restrictions on the pilgrims in terms of their faith. Not only Indian nationals but also the Persons of India holding OCI cards should be allowed to use the Kartarpur corridor facility,” he said.
Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. “We have sought confirmation that individuals like Gopal Singh Chawla have been removed from the bodies where we have an objection to,” he said
Pakistan has concurred on a basic level to India’s interest for the development of an extension on the zero lines of the Kartarpur corridor to handle the threat of the conceivable flooding of Dera Baba Nanak.
“Pakistan side agreed, in principle, to build a bridge at the earliest. Pending the
construction of a bridge over the old Ravi creek by Pakistan on their territory, India offered to make interim arrangements for making the corridor operational in November 2019, given the historic importance of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” added Das.