Intelligence: ISI misusing Kartarpur corridor

Mukesh Ranjan

New Delhi, May 4

Intelligence agencies have alerted the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about Pakistan spy agency ISI misusing the Kartarpur corridor.

In a report to the MHA, the agencies said ISI officials had been noticed making efforts to gather information from Indian pilgrims. Sources said ISI and Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau officials were seen to be present along their side of the corridor. “They have been noticed trying to gather information by contacting the pilgrims going from India,” sources said, quoting the report sent to the MHA.

The corridor has been built jointly by Indian and Pakistani governments to facilitate pilgrimage without visa from Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the neighbouring country.

The stone for the corridor was laid on the Indian side on November 26, 2018, by PM Narendra Modi. It was completed ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 12, 2019.

Officials said India had flagged the issue of misuse of the corridor, which was essentially agreed for pilgrimage purpose only. “We have asked the agencies to collect more evidence and instances of misuse so that the matter can be raised substantially with the Pakistan authorities,” a senior official said.

Sources in the Intelligence said they had confirmed reports of the corridor being used for business meetings too, which was not allowed as per an agreement signed between the two countries to make the corridor operational. A meeting of the officials of the Rotary Club was recently held at Kartarpur corridor, sources said.

Contacting pilgrims

In a report to the MHA, Intelligence agencies have said that ISI officials have been noticed making efforts to gather information from Indian pilgrims.