India Expresses Disappointment Over USD 20 Fee; Ready To Sign Pact 

India Expresses Disappointment Over USD 20 Fee; Ready To Sign Pact 

New Delhi: India on Monday said it is ready to sign an agreement with Pakistan on October 23 for the operationalisation of the Kartarpur Corridor, even as it expressed ‘disappointment’ over Islamabad’s insistence on levying USD 20 service fee per pilgrim and asked it to reconsider its decision. 

The government has taken the initiative to put in place state of art infrastructure and open the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the auspicious occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev so that pilgrims from India and those holding Overseas Citizen of India Card can undertake visit to the holy Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.  “It is a matter of disappointment that while understanding has been reached on most of the elements for facilitating the visit of pilgrims from India, Pakistan continues to insist on levying a service fee of USD 20 per pilgrim per visit,” the MEA said.  The government has consistently urged Pakistan in deference of pilgrims, it should not levy such a fee. 

“In view of the long pending demand of the pilgrims to have visa free access to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib and in the interest of operationalisation of the corridor in time before the Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary on November 12, the government on Monday conveyed that India would be ready to sign the agreement on the corridor on Wednesday,” the MEA said. 

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