Making several concessions with regard to Sikh pilgrimage through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), in a release on July 14, 2019, stated that “Pakistan has decided to allow 5000 pilgrims per day (to be increased as capacity allows) throughout the year except for closure on administrative or other basis which will be informed in advance”. The release further declared “Pakistan is building walkways to permit travel by foot” and that the “pilgrims may travel individually or in groups, preferably of 15 people each”. Pakistan also “agreed to the Indian request to construct a bridge in the second phase after the 550 anniversary celebrations”. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a release, on the same day, confirmed each of these points, but stated that Pakistan had agreed “in principle, to build a bridge at the earliest”. Moreover, missing in the Pakistan MoFA release, but mentioned in the Indian MEA release was the agreement for “visa free travel for the Indian passport holders and OCI card holders”.

Both the release followed the Second Round of discussions on the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor between these two countries held at Wagah, Pakistan, on July 14, 2019. The first round of discussions was held at Atari, India, on March 14, 2019.

It is pertinent to recall here that Pakistan had initially set, including:

• number of pilgrims at 700
• no daily visit but on visiting days specified by it
• no travel by foot
• no individual but only groups of at least 15 people
• only Indian citizens

On July 14, 2019, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mohammad Faisal declared that “the two sides have reached a consensus on 80 percent and beyond points (sic) regarding the opening of the corridor, while the rest of 20 percent issues would be addressed in at least one more upcoming meeting.”

Even prior to the beginning of the second round of discussions (on July 14), Pakistan had conceded one of India’s demands on July 13, and reconstituted the 10-member Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), removing all 10 members, including Gopal Singh Chawla, the General Secretary, from the Committee. On March 29, 2019, just days ahead of the earlier scheduled date of April 2, 2019, for the second round of discussions, India postponed the meeting and sought clarifications on reports that “controversial elements have been appointed by Pakistan to a committee to be associated with the Kartarpur Corridor”. India had raised the issue following Pakistan’s decision to reconstitute the PSGPC on March 27, 2019, with Chawla still in the Committee. Significantly, Chawla has long been the General Secretary of the PSGPC, and is a known Khalistani sympathizer with suspected links with Islamist terrorist organizations as well. The PSGPC is reconstituted after every three years. Stung by his unceremonious removal from the PSGPC, Chawla put out a message declaring, inter alia, that he had been ‘treated worse than a dog’ by the Pakistani authorities.

The reconstitution of the PSGPC and the further concessions by Pakistan during the second round of talks will allow the process on the Kartarpur Corridor to go forward, but it is evident that a continuous power play is at work, rather than a good faith effort to create a facility that would allow the devout to visit an important place of pilgrimage.

Interestingly, Chawla continues to be the non-official member of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (EPTB), which is the parent body of the PSGPC. Further, one of the members of the newly constituted PSGPC, Ameer Singh, is a known pro-Khalistan leader. New Delhi has also repeatedly alleged that Pakistan is using Sikh pilgrimages to fuel the fire in Punjab. Significantly, during the Wagah meeting (July 14) India handed over a 23-page dossier with details of Khalistani secessionists activities in Pakistan, particularly relating to efforts to radicalize Sikh pilgrims visiting Nankana Saheb and Panja Saheb Gurudwaras in Pakistan.

Islamabad seeks to dominate the entire processes relating to the pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib in its efforts to dovetail it with its wider radicalization efforts. Gradual and visible reluctant concessions have been forced on Islamabad under significant pressure of perceptions, even as the demand for access to Kartarpur Sahib becomes an emotive issue for the Sikhs.