As threat of terror triggers, India asks Pakistan for highest level of security to pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Sahib

New Delhi, November 7: Ahead of the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration, the Indian authorities on Wednesday asked Pakistan to strengthen their security arrangements for the pilgrims visiting the Kartarpur Sahib. Triggering controversy by releasing video featuring Khalistan separatists, India also asked the Imran Khan government to make sure there is no Khalistan groups or any anti-India activities during the event. India has also shared specific terror threats with Pakistan.

 

India has requested Pakistan to allow an advance team to visit Kartarpur to check the arrangements and protocols which was denied by the later. However, Pakistan has allowed Indian High Commission officials to visit the site. The Indian authorities have categorically asked Pakistan to provide highest level of security to the visiting VVIPs as the threat of anti-India activities by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) remains a concern.

The government officials said that the dignitaries part of 1st 'Jatha' crossing over from India to Kartarpur to go as pilgrims includes Former PM Manmohan Singh, Punjab CM and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal, Hardeep Puri and 150 parliamentarians.

Three Sikh separatist leaders, including Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his military adviser Shabeg Singh, who were killed during the Operation Blue Star in 1984 have featured in an official video released by the Pakistan government on the Kartarpur corridor, triggering a controversy. The video was released on Monday just days ahead of the inauguration ceremony of the much-awaited corridor, which will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan, just 4 kilometres from the International Border.

During the Kartarpur corridor talks, India had conveyed its strong concerns to Pakistan over the presence of a leading Khalistani separatist in a committee appointed by Islamabad on the project. Notwithstanding a chill in bilateral ties over Kashmir, Pakistan and India after tough negotiations signed a landmark agreement last week to operationalise the historic Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit the holy Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

The two countries decided that 5,000 pilgrims can visit the shrine everyday and that additional pilgrims will be allowed on special occasions, subject to capacity expansion of facilities by the Pakistani side. India and Pakistan have also decided that the corridor will be operational through the year and seven days a week and that pilgrims, except kids and elderly persons, will have a choice to visit it as individuals or in groups.