NAPA Urges Centre to Reopen Kartarpur Corridor, Calls for Security-Faith Balance

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has urged the Centre to reconsider its decision to keep the Kartarpur Corridor suspended indefinitely, saying the religious sentiments of millions of Sikh devotees must be balanced with national security concerns.

In a statement, NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said the continued closure of the corridor has disappointed Sikh pilgrims in India and the global Sikh diaspora. He acknowledged that national security remains the government’s top priority, but said an indefinite shutdown should not become a permanent solution.

Chahal urged authorities to explore measures that could allow the corridor to function safely, including the use of modern surveillance systems, strict verification procedures and stronger coordination among security agencies.

Highlighting the importance of the corridor, he said the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is not merely a route across the border but an emotional and spiritual connection for millions of Sikhs seeking to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev.

NAPA said the corridor symbolises faith, peace and people-to-people ties, and its prolonged closure has caused emotional distress among devotees who had hoped for uninterrupted access to the historic shrine. The organisation appealed to the government to review the decision and work towards reopening the corridor with enhanced security arrangements if necessary. It also urged India and Pakistan to continue dialogue on corridor-related issues so that pilgrims are not deprived of access to one of Sikhism’s most revered sites.

The Kartarpur Corridor has remained shut since May 7 last year following the launch of Operation Sindoor by Indian armed forces in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Earlier, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Lok Sabha that the Centre had received representations from Sikh groups seeking the corridor’s reopening. However, he said the prevailing security situation requires the suspension to continue.

The Darbar Sahib Gurdwara in Kartarpur, situated along the Ravi River, is a historically significant site where Guru Nanak Dev spent the final years of his life until 1539.