IN the run-up to the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak next year, the historical Darbar Sahib shrine in Shakargarh, just 4km across the border from India, has been in the news. Many groups of Sikh are pressing for opening a passage from the Indian side to what is one of the most venerable sites of their faith. The debate was provided fresh impetus when army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa reportedly told a visiting Indian politician and former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu that Pakistan was working to open the Kartarpur corridor for the benefit of Sikh pilgrims. The remarks from someone so influential have led to many questions in Islamabad and New Delhi. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has confirmed that the initiative has been taken after gathering input from the national institutions concerned. He has said that work was under way on the passage, categorically promising that the Kartarpur border would be opened.

The Pakistani resolve on the subject will be welcomed by all those who favour encouraging people-to-people channels that can connect Pakistanis and Indians. These contacts are essential to building a relationship of peaceful coexistence between Pakistan and India. One hopes this ‘proposal’ is reciprocated by Delhi, which some months ago denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims wanting to visit the shrines of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti and Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia. On its part, Pakistan must come up with the formal follow-up, such as officially communicating the idea to India. The Indian response to the opening of the Kartarpur passage in recent years has been negative. Only last year, a parliamentary committee on that side of the border rejected the idea, saying that the time was not right for such a move, and accusing Pakistan of continued hostilities. It is still a tall order despite the goodwill represented by the many dreamers on either side of the border. Let us hope that it is not beyond the two neighbours to pleasantly surprise their people once in a while.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2018