Chandigarh, July 17: Amid a sustained ceasefire and easing tensions between India and Pakistan, the Global Sikh Council (GSC) on Thursday made a strong appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, which has remained closed since May 7 following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent cross-border unrest.
“The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is not merely a physical passage, it is a spiritual lifeline for the Sikh qaum worldwide,” said GSC President Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur in a press release issued today. “With hostilities subsided and peace prevailing, there is no justifiable reason to keep this sacred pathway closed any longer.”
GSC officials noted that while Pakistan has kept its side of the corridor operational, India’s unilateral suspension of pilgrimages has deeply disheartened thousands of Sikh devotees, both domestic and international, who are unable to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur — the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
“The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor was established as a historic gesture of peace and religious goodwill. It should not be a casualty of political tensions,” Dr. Kaur said, urging the Indian government to separate matters of faith from geopolitical disputes.
GSC Secretary Harjeet Singh Grewal joined in the appeal, stating, “This is not merely about border protocols. It is about the fundamental right to worship and the spiritual sentiments of the global Sikh Sangat.”
The Council has submitted a formal memorandum to the Prime Minister and also called on the Ministries of Home and External Affairs to take immediate steps to restore access to the shrine.
The GSC further urged Sikh organizations, Members of Parliament, civil society, and the Punjab government to raise a united voice to ensure that the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is reopened without delay.
“Religious access is a matter of rights, not privilege. Reopening Kartarpur now would not only restore faith but also reaffirm India’s commitment to religious freedom and regional peace,” the GSC said.
