Indian and Pakistani diplomats agreed on Wednesday to create a visa-free corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims wishing to visit a holy shrine in Pakistan but failed to finalize the deal
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th September, 2019) Indian and Pakistani diplomats agreed on Wednesday to create a visa-free corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims wishing to visit a holy shrine in Pakistan but failed to finalize the deal.
The Pakistani delegation led by Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal crossed into India's northern Punjab province for a third round of talks on the "modalities for operationalization of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor," sources in the Indian Foreign Ministry said.
The tentative agreement will allow 5,000 pilgrims a day to travel to the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib shrine in Pakistan without visas all year round.
"However, owing to certain differences on a few key issues, the agreement could not be finalized. Pakistan has insisted on charging a service fee for allowing Pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib," sources said.
The talks come despite a downgrade in the Indian-Pakistani diplomatic ties over India's decision to strip the portion of the disputed Kashmir region under its control of special status and statehood.
