Pakistan, India hold fourth round of technical talks on Kartarpur corridor
The two sides share progress of the construction work on both sides of the corridor in the meeting
August 31, 2019
DERA BABA NANAK: Pakistan and India on Friday held the fourth round of technical level talks on the Kartarpur Corridor in a bid to finalise arrangements so that the project can be inaugurated by November this year.
The talks were held at Zero Point near Dera Baba Nanak where the two sides shared the progress of the construction work on the corridor. In the meeting, border crossings and other issues were also discussed.
According to details, Pakistan has completed nearly all of the work on its side of the corridor, while India has not even finished half of the construction work on the other side.
Despite the delays, officials seem confident that the corridor will be inaugurated in time for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak later this year.
Delegation level talks on the Kartarpur corridor are expected to be held in the first week of September. Recent Pakistan-India tensions on Indian-occupied Kashmir could affect this schedule.
However, Pakistan seems to have largely kept the IoK situation separate from the progress on the Kartarpur corridor.
Earlier in August, India had revoked constitutional autonomy of the Kashmir valley, sparking protest from Pakistan.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor would remain on track irrespective of Pakistan’s ties with India over the Kashmir crisis.
