Kartarpur Corridor: "India requested that 5,000 pilgrims be allowed every day," says MEA after holding talks with Pakistan, concerns regarding possible flooding discussed

After the completion of talks between the Indian and Pakistan delegation began on the Kartarpur Corridor on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has informed the details of the talks held at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab's Amritsar.

Following are the highlights shared by the MEA:

• India has highlighted flooding concerns of Dera Baba Nanak with Pakistan due to the embankments on the Pakistani side.

• In response, Pakistan has agreed to build a bridge in principle, at the earliest

• Meanwhile, India has offered to make interim arrangements for making corridor operational in November 2019 (550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji) due to pending bridge construction

• India has requested the limit of daily pilgrims permitted be 5000 due to high demand

• Additionally, India has requested Pakistan allow 10000 pilgrims on special occasions including Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)

• Pakistan has also assured India that no anti-India activity will be permitted.

Kartarpur Corridor: India Begins Second Round Of Talks With Pakistan, Gopal Singh Chawla Replaced With Another Khalistan Backer In Pak Delegation

Previous meetings on Kartarpur Corridor

The meeting was earlier scheduled to take place in April but it was postponed as Pakistan had Gopal Singh Chawla as a member in their delegation. India had categorically expressed its displeasure over the appointment of Khalistani backer Chawla, who is known to be the right-hand man of 26/11 mastermind and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed. After India mounted pressure they removed him to replace him with Ameer Singh, who is the brother of Khalistani backer Bishan Singh.

The four-lane highway connecting the Zero Point of the Kartarpur Corridor up to National Highway-354 is being constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Pakistan is constructing a two-lane highway.