Pitfalls behind Kartarpur Corridor

Opening of the Kartarpur Corridor is a dream come true for most people of Punjab, but at the same time, some are sceptical about the development because of the terror attacks in the area and the existing drug problem. Though the corridor was a long-pending demand of Sikhs, it should function without ‘importing’ any disturbances in the region, and there should be proper checks to ensure that the corridor is not misused.

"Even after 1947, people used to cross over to the other side (to Kartarpur) without permission. But with the passage of time and strained relations with Pakistan, our people were not allowed to visit the shrine without a valid visa. A small distance became too big for us. And barbed fences between two nations made it impossible to visit the shrine from Dera Baba Nanak," he explains. The fears over security in the region are not unfounded. In 2015, Dinanagar Police Station in Gurdaspur district was attacked allegedly by Pakistani extremists, leading to 11 causalities, including three terrorists.

The very next year, a group of armed infiltrators, allegedly from across the border, had attacked the Pathankot airbase in the neighbouring district, killing two security personnel. Four terrorists were gunned down by Indian forces. These incidents scarred the minds of the villagers who are now worried about the security threats that may arise because of the Kartarpur Corridor. It will be always better for the government to keep in mind the possible adverse effects of what people now say a grand gesture.

- Dr Neha Sabharwal, Hyderabad