Abstract
Kartarpur, about 118 kilometers (73 miles) from Lahore in
Narowal district, lies on the banks of the Ravi River. It is where
Guru Nanak, the founder of the 5th largest religion of the world,
Sikhism, lived for 18 years before he died there in 1539. Guru
Nanak's philosophy (developed & disseminated here) formed the
basis of Sikhism, focusing on equality and service to others. The
Sikhs all over the world come to Nankana Sahib (Pakistan) to
celebrate Guru Nanak Gurpurab1
. Last year on November 9, 2019,
Pakistan has opened the visa-free corridor on 550th birthday of the
founder of Sikhism, allowing the Sikh pilgrims to travel between
Dera Baba Nanak on Indian side (Gurdaspur) and the Sri
Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara (Kartarpur) on Pakistani side. The
Kartarpur Corridor carries greater significance in the backdrop of
Pakistan India relations. It is widely hoped that the good-will
gesture and people to people contact ultimately would positively
lead to better diplomatic relations and economic ties between the
borders. This article particularly draws attention towards the
emblematic significance of the corridor how it reimagines the
relationship with Sikh heritage in the offing of the religious
diplomacy of inclusive Pakistan. The paper leaves few questions
to be answered by future researchers. It concludes that this
initiative is a milestone in the elevation of interfaith harmony and
a step towards regional peace.
Muhammad Saleem Mazhar , Naheed S. Goraya. (2020) The Kartarpur Sahib CorridorReimagining the Relationship with Sikh Heritage & the Religious Diplomacy of Inclusive Pakistan , Journal of Pakistan Vision, Volume 21, Issue 1.
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