The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday ordered the closure of the Kartarpur Corridor until further notice, following a retaliatory military strike by India under the codename ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The operation targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites across the border in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur, Dalwinderjit Singh, confirmed that the corridor would remain shut for the day.
However, he stated that the district administration had not received any instructions regarding subsequent days.
Despite the uncertainty, around 150 Indian pilgrims arrived at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Dera Baba Nanak, hoping to proceed to the revered Sri Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Narowal, Pakistan. Immigration and defence officials, citing security concerns, asked the pilgrims to return around 11 AM.
The Kartarpur Corridor, inaugurated on 9 November 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a visa-free border crossing that enables Indian nationals and OCI cardholders to visit the gurdwara located just 4.7 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border.
Also Read: PM Modi Briefs President Murmu On Bold ‘Operation Sindoor’ Strikes
The Sri Darbar Sahib Gurdwara holds deep religious significance for Sikhs worldwide, as Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent the final 18 years of his life there and passed away at the site.
In the wake of the military strike, authorities diverted two international flights en route to Amritsar to Delhi, and imposed temporary closures on educational institutions along the Pakistan border.
Specifically, schools and colleges in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts will remain closed for three days, while those in Fazilka district will stay shut until further notice.
The precautionary measures aim to ensure public safety amid escalating cross-border tensions.
Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Indian Army launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in retaliation for the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian civilians and one Nepali national.
The Army further struck nine high-value terror targets located deep within Pakistani territory.
Defence sources reported that the strikes focused on camps linked to militant groups believed responsible for the Pahalgam attack. Officials described the mission as a highly coordinated and precise military operation.
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