FIA seeks funds for Kartarpur Corridor

Interior ministry has sent a summary to PM

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Immigration Wing has demanded of the government to provide adequate manpower and funds for the operationalisation and development of Kartarpur Corridor.

A summary sent to the prime minister by the Ministry of Interior, of which a copy is available with The Express Tribune, says that the FIA has also sought extra funds and approval of new appointments from the government.

The ministry has requested for the approval of Rs240.82 million for operationalisation and development of the corridor while the FIA had demanded Rs280.5 million.

Moreover, the ministry has asked for the approval of 217 new appointments in FIA’s Immigration Wing while the FIA had sought 284 vacancies in the department.
The summary copies have been sent to Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Establishment Division.

‘Cordial’ Kartarpur talks between Pakistan, India

In March during a federal cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Imran Khan constituted a 10-member Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) to facilitate Sikh pilgrims after the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor.

Pakistan is to construct the nearly four-kilometre-long corridor from the border to the Gurdwara in Kartarpur Sahib, whereas India will develop the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak, in East Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, to the border.

Kartarpur is a small town in Narowal, 4 km from the Pakistan-India border, where the founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life.

Subsequently, Gurdwara Darbar Sahab was built at the site on the Pakistan side and Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in India, which are visited by thousands of Sikhs every year.

In January, Pakistan shared its draft agreement with India and proposed that Pakistan delegation may visit India on March 14 followed by visit of the Indian delegation to Pakistan.