India on Thursday asked Pakistan not to insist on levying a fee of USD 20 per Indian pilgrim and hoped that an agreement to operationalise the Kartarpur corridor will be inked soon between the two countries.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said both India and Pakistan reached an agreement on the corridor except on the matter of the service fee.
“After several rounds of discussion with Pakistan, we have reached an agreement on all other issues, except the matter of service fee. Pakistan insists on levying a fee of USD 20 (approx. Rs 1420) on all pilgrims,” he said.
Kumar said India has urged Pakistan not to levy the fee in the interests of devotees, and also because the opening of the corridor is a people-to-people initiative.
“We hope that the agreement can be concluded and signed in time for the great event,” said Kumar.
Pakistan has been insisting on levying the service fee of USD 20 per pilgrim to meet the operational costs of the corridor linking the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district in Punjab.
