Kartarpur Corridor: A Gate Way to Peace in South Asia (Evolution, Development, Prospects & Implications)

Abstract

The opening of kartarpur corridor project between India and Pakistan on Nov 9,2019 provides a rational and peace-loving response from the either side despite a complicated situation of trust deficit, antagonism and unsolved conflicts exist in the region. It becomes a passage of greater social and economic connectivity between the South Asian arch rival Nuclear States. It teaches the lesson for promulgation of secular ideas and tolerance towards minorities with in the religious democracy like Pakistan. How political and economic empowerment of the people in South Asia can be materialized without any religious discrimination by a courageous leadership? The kartarpur corridor has provided visa free access to the Sikh pilgrims from India and across the World to worship at their holiest shrine. The practical working of the corridor since its construction with certain modalities has proved as a remarkable foot in the context of people to people and bilateral relations between India and Pakistan. The qualitative, descriptive and comparative approaches have applied to examine, that the project can produce further opportunity to get forward for more peace in the region. There are other options of dialogue diplomacy, conflict resolution and bilateral trade to combat the evils of poverty, hunger and ignorance in South Asia.