Kartarpur Corridor to be opened in November: FO

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Foreign Office (FO) Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Kartarpur Corridor will be opened in November on Wednesday. The third round of talks between Pakistan and India on Kartarpur Corridor was held at Attari. The Pakistani delegation was led by Dr Muhammad Faisal. Addressing to the journalists, the FO spokesperson said despite tension in relations, the meeting between both the sides remained positive. He said the two sides have almost agreed to the draft agreement on the operationalization of Kartarpur Corridor except two or three points. The FO spokesperson said most of the obstacles have been overcome and the Indian side will have to demonstrate political flexibility to address the remaining issues. “We are inching closer to the opening of Kartarpur Corridor by November,” Dr Muhammad Faisal hoped. He said Pakistan has invited the Indian side for a final meeting on our side of the border to resolve the remaining sticking points. The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan has completed ninety per cent work on the Kartarpur corridor and it is committed to open the corridor on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viPfBN_R3Dc Earlier, India has given its list of proposals for the Kartarpur Corridor to Pakistan ahead of third round of high level talks between the two countries on Wednesday (tomorrow) on Tuesday. Despite the escalation between Pakistan and India on Kashmir issue, Pakistan has accepted an Indian proposal for arrival of up to 5000 Sikh pilgrims and their visa free entry in a day. India has also sought permission for the visit of 10,000 Indian pilgrims of other beliefs to Kartarpur on special occasions. Pakistan has also accepted another Indian demand of arrival of the pilgrims in groups or individually walking to Kartarpur. Indian side has also sought permission from Pakistani authorities for Sikh pilgrims to prepare and distribute charity food (Langar/Prasad) during their stay in Kartarpur. Earlier on Sep 1, a key progress in the matter of Kartarpur corridor as India accepted the offer of Pakistan for high level talk on the ongoing project. According to the sources, Pakistan and India will hold high level talk on Kartarpur corridor on September 4 (Wednesday) at Wagah Border. The sources also confirmed that India accepted the offer of Pakistan. DG South Asia or SAARC Dr Mohammad Faisal will lead the Pakistani delegation in the talks in which draft of the corridor will be finalized. The sources further said that both sides are 80 per cent agreed on the corridor’s draft. The meeting will be started at 10am in the boundary of India at Attari-Wagah border.