The Indian and Pakistan’s authorities agreed on opening the 4.7 km long Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. It connects Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab, India with the holy shrine in the Narowal district of Pakistan, Punjab. The holy shrine in the Narowal district of Pakistan is the place where Guru Nanak Dev Ji died in the 16th century. It has been opened 1.5 years after being closed in the pandemic. This decision of opening the corridor comes ahead of the auspicious Guruparab.
Union Minister Amit Shah tweeted that the reopening of the corridor reflects the “immense reverence” of the Narendra Modi government for Guru Nanak and the Sikh Sangat. Certainly, BJP is hoping that it will get the credit for reaping the corridor in the upcoming elections. A BJP delegation from Punjab met the PM to discuss this issue, and even the Akalis and Congress leaders like N.S. Sidhu informally demanded the reopening of the corridor.
But, even Pakistan’s authorities said some days back that it was ready to open and welcome Sikh pilgrims to Kartarpur Sahib. It requested India to reopen its side. Is this a sign of peace by Pakistan? It is important to note that just 2 weeks back the PM of Pakistan had permitted the wheat consignments from India to Afghanistan to be allowed for overland transportation through Pakistan. This could certainly have not been approved without discussion with Pakistan’s Army.
Even if the Pakistan military is making such attempts for peace, what can be the reason? As per some political observers, Pakistan is overstretched on the issue of Afghanistan. They are in dire need of some let-up.
Where does the interest of India lie?
If you are wondering why the political parties in India are taking interest in opening the Kartarpur corridor, then we have an answer. For sure, every party wants to take the credit and reward for fulfilling religious sentiments in the upcoming elections. After Captain Amrinder Singh decided to leave Congress and announced the launch of his new political party, it was a big decision. It changed the stable dynamics of Punjab for the upcoming elections.
The recent internal conflicts in the Punjab Congress have caused a stir and weakened the ruling party. Bjp does not have a strong base or public support in Punjab, while the Jats are not too interested in supporting Akalis. Also, the Aam Aadmi Party is not able to come out as a viable option in this confusing situation.
At the same time, BJP has an advantage with power in the centre. In this case, the Pakistan Military runs and manages the foreign affairs of the countryside with the government that can benefit BJP. On the other side, Pakistan PM Imran Khan gave the credit for reopening the corridor to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. Even congress eyes a chance to improve its political stance in the state through him. He was the only India to attend the swearing ceremony of PM Imran Khan, and he hugged the Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa who is known to be the real power behind the chair in 2018.
It is also important to note that in the past whenever Pakistan gave peace and harmony signals to India, it was followed by the Kargil war in 1999 and then the URI attack. Therefore, there is a need to be careful this time.
The Military VS PM Imran Khan in Pakistan:
It is not hidden that the military exerts influence on the post of PM in Pakistan. They have been an important factor in directing the post of the PM and government. But, it might be possible now that PM Imran Khan won’t get support further due to the deep economic crisis in Pakistan. According to the World Bank, Pakistan is on the list of the top ten economies with the largest foreign debt. Its gross external financing requirement is $23.6 billion for the current year and another $28 billion for the coming year.
Secondly, Pakistan has been an open supporter of the Taliban, and this allowed it to have a prime place in Kabul and Crack some significant deals. Despite this, the truth is that Afghanistan is in the middle of an economic crisis itself and Pakistan is not able to help it.
Thirdly, Politics in Pakistan have been heating up even though the elections are not before 2023. Especially after the big economic crunch, it is difficult for the government to calm down the voters.
At this time, the political scene is hyped up in Punjab for its upcoming elections in 2022 and even in Pakistan, which has time for its elections. Still, one thing shall remain constant: elected, or unelected military leaders can not stay in power without public support and public choice. There is no threat to peace in the region, but the way to political victory is difficult.
Also Read: A responsibility for Bangladesh to preserve the secular legacy left by Sheikh Mujibur Rehman.
