Kartarpur Corridor closure to continue as security concerns persist: Govt in LS

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the visa-free corridor, which allows Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, was suspended on May 7, 2025, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack

The Centre on Friday said the Kartarpur Corridor will remain shut due to the prevailing security situation, despite receiving repeated representations from Sikh organisations seeking its reopening.

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said the visa-free corridor, which allows Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, was suspended on May 7, 2025, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. The government maintained that the existing security environment does not permit the resumption of services.

The clarification came in response to queries by MPs Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who sought to know whether the government was aware of the corridor’s continued closure, the reasons behind it, representations received from the Sikh community, and the steps being taken to facilitate its reopening while safeguarding national security.

The ministry recalled that India and Pakistan signed the Kartarpur Corridor Agreement on October 24, 2019, enabling visa-free access for Sikh pilgrims to the historic shrine to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The agreement was subsequently extended for another five years in October 2024, reflecting both countries’ commitment to maintaining the pilgrimage route.

However, the government said the security landscape changed significantly after the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting the suspension of the corridor. While acknowledging that Sikh religious groups and organisations have urged the Centre to restore the pilgrimage route because of its profound religious and emotional significance, the ministry said the prevailing security scenario continues to warrant its closure.