Sindh mulls over Kartarpur-like corridor in Thar desert

The Sindh government may consider a proposal for constructing a cross-border corridor to connect mainly the Thar desert on Pakistani and Indian sides to facilitate religious tourism on the pattern of Kartarpur corridor earlier opened on the Pakistan-Indian border in Punjab for Sikh pilgrims.

The proposal to this effect was put forth by Sindh Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, while speaking at a recently held event in Dubai. The event, attended by members of the business fraternity and travel industry representatives, was held to showcase the massive tourism potential of the province for the prospective foreign tourists.

The proposed corridor would facilitate the hindrance-free travel of the followers of the Hindu and Jain faiths based in India to visit their holy sites in Tharparkar and Umerkot areas in Pakistan.

According to the minister, the proposed corridor would provide connectivity from India to Umerkot and Nagarparkar. The Nagarparkar is home to various ancient temples belonging to the Jain faith.

He said that a massive number of followers of Hindu and Jain faiths had been willing to visit their sacred sites in the province. He said the Sindh government could also facilitate the launch of a weekly flight from India either to Sukkur or Larkana to promote cross-border religious tourism.

Umarkot is home to Shri Shiv Mandir, which is considered one of the oldest Hindu temples in Sindh. Some people believe it was constructed more than 2,000 years ago. But in an interview to an international news agency, a local Hindu community leader claimed it was as old as 5,000 years. Meanwhile, there are various abandoned Jain temples in Nagarparkar.

The government of Pakistan on November 9, 2019, had inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor with India which stretched about 4.1 kilometers, or 2.5 miles, from the Pakistan-India border. The inauguration ceremony coincided with Guru Nanak's 550th birthday.