Pakistan, India hold technical talks on Kartarpur corridor

F.P. Report

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

According to sources, the meeting was attended by technical experts from both the sides and lasted three hours.

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

Sources further said representatives from both the sides will present survey reports regarding today’s meeting to their respective sides. Following the survey reports, there will be a consensus on crossing points between the two countries.

The next meeting will be held on April 2 at Wagah.

Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal had announced the meeting between technical experts of the two countries following a meeting between Pakistan and Indian delegations in Attari on March 14.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Dr Faisal had said that both sides held detailed and constructive discussions on various aspects and provisions of the proposed agreement and agreed to work towards expeditiously operationalising the Kartarpur corridor.

Moreover, China said it welcomed the meeting between Pakistan and India to discuss and finalise the modalities for the Kartarpur corridor.

During a press briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang expressed hope that relevant progress will help to further ease tensions between India and Pakistan and improve the regional situation.

Geng urged both sides to continue to demonstrate goodwill to settle differences through dialogues and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

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.