Border Security Force personnel stand guard at the entrance of the Shri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor near Batala. (File Photo)
Chandigarh: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday ordered the closure of the Kartarpur Corridor "till further orders," following India’s precision military strikes on nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under the code name 'Operation Sindoor'.
The move came hours after the Indian armed forces launched the retaliatory operation in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali national. Officials described the closure as a security measure amid heightened cross-border tensions.
Punjab's Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner, Dalwinderjit Singh, confirmed to the media that the corridor would remain shut for the day. He added that the district administration had not yet received official instructions regarding its status in the coming days.
Nearly 150 Indian pilgrims had arrived at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Dera Baba Nanak on Wednesday morning for the pilgrimage to the revered Sri Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan’s Narowal district. However, they were asked to return home before 11 a.m., citing the tense situation.
"Immigration and defence officials told us that the situation is not conducive and advised us to return," one of the pilgrims said.
The Kartarpur Corridor, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 9, 2019, allows Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders visa-free access to the gurdwara, located just 4.7 kilometres across the border. The shrine holds immense spiritual importance for the Sikh community, as it is the place where Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh Guru, spent the final 18 years of his life.
Following the military action, two international flights bound for Amritsar were diverted to Delhi as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab ordered the closure of all educational institutions along the border with Pakistan.
Schools, colleges, and other institutions in Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts will remain closed for three days. In Fazilka district, the shutdown will continue until further notice, according to local officials.
Operation Sindoor marked a significant escalation in India’s counter-terror response, targeting locations linked to the planning and execution of the April 22 attack. Military sources stated that the operation involved coordinated air and ground strikes by the Army, Air Force, and Navy on key terrorist training and command centres, resulting in the elimination of dozens of militants.
As tensions remain high along the Line of Control and the International Border, the situation is being closely monitored by both central and state authorities.
With IANS inputs