The Sikh community all over the world will be celebrating the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, this month.
As the occasion nears, Pakistan PM Imran Khan has announced some concessions for Indian pilgrims paying a visit to the Darbar Sahib Gurdwara at Kartarpur in Pakistan.
For Sikhs coming for pilgrimage to Kartarpur from India, I have waived off 2 requirements: i) they wont need a passport – just a valid ID; ii) they no longer have to register 10 days in advance. Also, no fee will be charged on day of inauguration & on Guruji’s 550th birthday
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 1, 2019
The pilgrims won’t need to register 10 days in advance before their visit and neither would they need a passport. Just a valid ID card would be enough.
Also, the pilgrims visiting the holy shrine on the inauguration day will not have to pay the $20 fee that they are expected to pay to visit the shrine.
Just last week, India and Pakistan signed the Kartarpur Corridor agreement that will allow Indian pilgrims to undertake visa-free visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the shrine of Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan
The agreement aims to connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Punjab.
While the agreement stated that pilgrims could travel visa-free, this latest announcement by the Pak PM waives off the requirement to carry a valid passport too.
The Kartarpur agreement plays a crucial role in strengthening the ties between the two nations.