NEW DELHI: India on Thursday approved the building of a new border entry point and road connecting the northern state of Punjab to the border with arch rival Pakistan, making it quicker and easier for Sikh pilgrims to visit a holy site.
Muslim-majority Pakistan has also decided to open the corridor on its side of the border and Prime Minister Imran Khan will lay the foundation stone this month, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in a Tweet.
Many Sikhs see Pakistan as the place where their religion began: the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in a small village near the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
“Government of Pakistan will be urged to recognize the sentiments of the Sikh community and to develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory as well,” the Indian government said in a statement.
Pakistan welcomed India’s decision.
“Indian Cabinet endorsement of Pakistan’s proposition on #KartarPurBorderOpening is victory of peace lobby in both countries,” Pakistani Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Hussain said in a Tweet. “It’s a step toward right direction and we hope such steps will encourage voice of reason and tranquillity on both sides of the border.”
Thousands of Sikhs already visit the shrine in Pakistan every year. But the new road has stoked fears among some security experts that it could be used by Pakistan and foreign-based Sikh separatists to campaign against India.
The corridor indicates a thaw in relations between the two nuclear-armed foes. In September, India called off a meeting between their foreign ministers to protest the killing of Indian security personnel in Kashmir.
Talks have been stalled for years over Kashmir, claimed by both countries and ruled in part by each of them. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947 over the region.
India, Pakistan make progress on “corridor” for Sikh pilgrims
India, Pakistan make progress on “corridor” for Sikh pilgrims
Pakistan seeks operationalization of World Bank’s $20 billion framework to advance reform priorities
Pakistan seeks operationalization of World Bank’s $20 billion framework to advance reform priorities
- Pakistan’s finance chief meets World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar in the capital
- The Bank’s 10-year Country Partnership Agreement for Pakistan was approved in January last year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday called for the operationalization of the World Bank Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to advance the government’s key reform priorities during a meeting with the Bank’s country director, according to a statement.
The Bank’s Board of Directors approved a 10-year CPF deal with Pakistan, indicating $20 billion in financing for Pakistan under the framework. The amount will include public and private financing from the World Bank Group, with roughly half expected to come from private-sector operations led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
“The Finance Minister emphasized the importance of effective operationalization of the CPF, particularly in priority areas such as population management and climate change,” the finance ministry said in a statement after Aurangzeb’s meeting with the Bank’s Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar.
“He underscored the need for strong coordination between federal and provincial governments to ensure coherence in policy design and implementation.”
Discussions focused on population, human capital development, climate resilience, agricultural reform and energy sector sustainability, it added.
The ministry said both sides exchanged views on enhancing institutional coordination, improving transparency in project design and strengthening monitoring mechanisms to deliver intended outcomes. It highlighted that the World Bank expressed readiness to continue supporting agricultural transformation efforts in collaboration with the IFC.
“Both sides agreed to continue technical-level engagements to explore feasible solutions in line with Pakistan’s reform agenda and fiscal framework,” the finance ministry added.
Climate resilience and population control are major concerns for policymakers in Pakistan, a country whose population exceeds 241 million, making it the world’s sixth-most populous country. Limited infrastructure, health care, and educational opportunities place added strain on public services, contributing to unemployment and poverty.
The South Asian nation is also among the countries most affected by climate change. Unusually heavy monsoon rains in 2022 killed more than 1,700 people and caused over $30 billion in damages. Torrential rains and floods since late June last year have claimed more than 1,000 lives, as authorities continue surveys to assess the full extent of the destruction.
