Kartarpur to have 80 immigration counters for speedy clearance

Pakistan has set up 80 immigration counters at Kartarpur Corridor to speed up clearance process of large number of pilgrims who are expected to visit holy shrine. India and Pakistan last week signed agreement on Kartarpur Corridor that will allow Indian pilgrims to undertake visa-free visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, shrine of Sikh religion's founder Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan, twithstanding a chill in bilateral ties over Kashmir. agreement will allow 5,000 Indian pilgrims daily to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib where Guru Nanak spent last 18 years of his life.

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Pakistan facilitates pilgrims entry

Pakistan's interior ministry has built three entry gates to facilitate pilgrims from India, Express Tribune reported. Pilgrims returning to India will be routed through a designated gate. Federal Investigation ncy (FIA) will send a clearance list of pilgrims to Indian border force 10 days before ir arrival. y will have ir passports scanned on ir arrival before y are taken to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in special buses under protection of Pakistan Rangers, report said. Pilgrims from both Pakistan and India will undergo biometric screening before being permitted to enter Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. y will be able to exit from same gate which y used for entry while undergoing verification, it said. Any pilgrim whose passport is in blacklist will t be permitted, it said.

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To facilitate operations at corridor, interior ministry has appointed two assistant directors and a deputy director in dition to 169 inspectors and sub-inspectors, constables and female constables, according to report. Pakistan Rangers officials will collect USD 20 from each pilgrim at Zero-Point, it said. Apart from 80 immigration counters to speed up clearance process and facilitate large number of pilgrims, an immigration hall has been built at Zero-Point, four kilometres away from Darbar Sahib, to facilitate pilgrims, report said. pilgrims would be required to leave on same day at 5pm. pilgrim will be permitted to stay at Darbar Sahib.

However, pilgrims will t be subjected to any restrictions for re-entry after y have passed through clearance process, it said. immigration staff of FIA will mark passports of pilgrims with entry and exit stamps. A designated gate has also been built for Pakistani Sikhs arriving at Darbar Sahib and y will also undergo biometric verification as part of security protocol, report said. six km long corridor will connect Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just four kilometres from International Border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. India and Pakistan signed agreement after three rounds of tough negotiations despite bilateral relationship witnessing a chill recent years.

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Pakistan to charge pilgrims

ties touched a new low when India revoked special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August following which Pakistan downgred diplomatic ties and expelled Indian envoy. Indian pilgrims of all faiths and persons of Indian origin can use corridor and travel will be visa-free. Each visitor would be required to pay USD 20 as fee, though India has requested Pakistan t to charge Indian pilgrims. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to formally inaugurate Kartarpur Corridor on vember 9, ahe of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on vember 12.

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