ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan yesterday encouraged the Indian media to cover the Pak-India talks on the Kartarpur Corridor this weekend.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Dr Mohammed Faisal tweeted: “#Pakistan welcomes Indian media for the #KartarpurCorridor meeting at Wagah on 14 July. Visas can be applied at @Paknewdelhi #PakistanKartarpurSpirit.”

The second round of talks between Pakistan and India on Kartarpur Corridor will take place on July 14 on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border.

Dr Mohammed Faisal - who is also the Director General South Asia at the foreign ministry - will lead the Pakistan side.

Earlier, Dr Faisal had said: “Work continues on the Kartarpur corridor on our side. We hope for expedited progress in the meeting to ensure operationalization of the corridor for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak. We are moving forward on this issue with positive spirit.”

Pakistan, he said, remains committed to expedited progress on the matter to ensure that the Corridor is operationalized in time for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak in November 2019.

This year, experts from the two countries had jointly surveyed the coordinates of Kartarpur Corridor Zero Point and discussed the technical details, including Finished Road Level, High Flood level and others.  The two sides agreed on some technical aspects and expressed hope to finalize the other modalities at the earliest. 

Pakistan and India are expected to set up facilitation centres and check posts on their own sides. Officials said the permit issued by Pakistan will be only for the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and if the Sikh pilgrims wished to travel elsewhere in Pakistan, they would need a visa. Pakistan and India will also discuss the duration of Sikh pilgrims stay on the Pakistani side.

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