Kartarpur modalities to be finalised today

Pakistani and Indian officials will meet at Wagah border for second round of corridor talks

LAHORE: The second round of talks between Pakistani and Indian officials on the Kartarpur corridor will take place on Sunday (today) at Wagah border.

Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal will lead the Pakistani side. The Indian delegation will be headed by Indian Foreign Affairs Joint Secretary Anil Malik. Pakistan has also issued visas to Indian journalists to cover the event.

Kartarpur Corridor: India, Pakistan to iron out technicalities

The officials will discuss the progress of the development work on the project on both sides of the border. Pakistan has completed 80% of the work on the corridor. Sources said the two sides would try to address each other’s concerns.

The procedure for the entry of Indian Sikh pilgrims, their currency limit, transportation, medical emergency facilities and duration of stay at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib will be finalised.

The first round of talks between the two sides was held on March 14 this year at India’s Attari border. It was decided that the second round will take place at Wagah border on April 2 but India had refused to participate in the meeting. However, the second round is being held on India’s request.

The sources said Pakistan’s Foreign Office would brief the media before the talks and later a joint announcement will be made after the meeting.

India had earlier pulled out of the talks expressing reservations over the inclusion of Gopal Chawla and Bisan Singh in the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee -- assigned the task of facilitating the pilgrims -- accusing them of being pro-Khalistan activists.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony notified an amended list of committee members on Saturday. The 13 members of the newly notified committee include four from Punjab, three from Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, two from Sindh and one from Balochistan.

Kartarpur to open on Nov 2 ahead of Guru’s anniversary

According to the notification, the chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) will be the convener of the committee. The ETPB joint and additional secretaries of shrines have also been included in the body.

The committee includes Sardar Ravinder Singh, Sardar Andar Jeet Singh, Dr Mampal Singh and Sardar Ameer Singh from Punjab; Sardar Baba Harmeet Singh, Sardar Sarbat Singh and Sardar Satwant Singh from Khyber-Pakthunkhwa; Dr Sagarjeet Singh and Sardar Wikash Singh Khalisa from Sindh and Sardar Sagar Singh from Balochistan.