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India has temporarily closed the Kartarpur Corridor, stopping Sikh pilgrims from visiting Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, citing security concerns following cross-border military operations.
The corridor, located at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, was shut down on Wednesday without prior notice.
According to Batala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sohail Qasim Mir, nearly 500 pilgrims had registered for the visit that morning, with around 100 already at the site when they were told to return home.
The unexpected move came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following recent Indian military strikes on what it claims were militant camps across the border.
While Indian authorities have yet to officially confirm how long the closure will last, security fears are believed to have triggered the immediate suspension.
The Kartarpur Corridor is a key religious route for the Sikh community, allowing visa-free access from India to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Its closure has raised concerns among religious leaders and Sikh devotees globally, who see the route as a rare symbol of peace and interfaith respect in a tense region.
No official comment has been issued by Pakistan on the closure, though it is expected to draw criticism from religious and civil society groups.
Many are calling for the corridor’s reopening, emphasizing the need to keep religious spaces insulated from geopolitical conflict.
This is not the first time the corridor has been closed due to security issues, but Wednesday’s shutdown comes at a particularly sensitive time, given the current military standoff.
