Chandigarh: The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Saturday urged the Centre to reconsider its decision to keep the Kartarpur Corridor closed indefinitely, saying the religious sentiments of lakhs of Sikh devotees should be balanced with national security concerns.
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In a statement, NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal said the continued closure of the corridor has caused disappointment among Sikh pilgrims in India and the global Punjabi and Sikh diaspora.
While national security must remain the government’s priority, an indefinite closure of the Kartarpur Corridor should not become a permanent solution, he said.
Chahal urged the Centre to explore all possible security, technological and diplomatic measures that would allow the corridor to function safely while protecting the country’s security interests.
“The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is not just a passage across the border. It is an emotional and spiritual lifeline for millions of Sikhs who wish to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev,” Chahal said.
The corridor symbolises peace, faith and people-to-people connections, and its prolonged closure has caused emotional distress to devotees who had hoped for uninterrupted access to the historic shrine, he said.
NAPA appealed to the government to review the decision and work towards reopening the corridor with enhanced security arrangements if required.
Union minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Lok Sabha on Friday that the Centre has received representations from Sikh religious groups for early reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor, but the extant security scenario compels the corridor to remain suspended. The Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Kartarpur stands on a historic site on the banks of the Ravi river where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak settled, preached and spent the final years of his life until 1539.
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Modern surveillance systems, strict verification procedures and close coordination among security agencies could help address potential risks while allowing pilgrims to continue their religious journey, Chahal said.
He added that preserving national security and respecting the religious rights of citizens should go hand in hand.
The association also appealed to both India and Pakistan to continue dialogue on issues relating to the corridor so that devotees are not deprived of access to one of Sikhism’s holiest sites.
The Kartarpur Corridor has remained shut since May 7 last year, when the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
