Observer Report
New Delhi
India has rejected an offer made by Pakistan on Saturday for the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor on June 29, saying that cross-border travel has been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak,Times of India reported.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan had issued a statement earlier in the day conveying its “readiness” to the Indian side to reopen the corridor on the occasion of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s death anniversary on June 29.
“As the religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims,” said the statement.
“To ensure adherence to the health guidelines, Pakistan has invited India to work out necessary SOPs for reopening of the Corridor,” it added.
The statement noted that the Corridor was inaugurated last year on November 9, three days before the 550th Birth Anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, fulfilling “the long awaited desire of Sikh devotees of the international community”. According to the statement, the Corridor was “temporarily closed on March 10, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic” and Pakistan is now looking to reopen it after SOPs are put in place with joint consultation between both sides.
