Delhi: Pakistan has displayed a gesture of friendship towards India, as the government of Sindh province has proposed the construction of a Kartarpur-like corridor. This corridor would allow the Jain community of India to visit Tharparkar in Sindh and perform their religious rituals.
The announcement was made in the recent past by the Sindh’s Minister -Culture, Tourism, Antiquities, Archives for the construction of Kartapur Corridor like passage between India and Pakistan .
Zahida Quadri, Director of the Culture, Tourism, Antiquities & Archives Department in Pakistan's Sindh province, explained that the issue had been raised previously but was postponed due to factors like the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent government changes in Pakistan. Nevertheless, Zahida said that Shah has displayed significant enthusiasm and proposed a corridor akin to the Kartarpur Corridor, facilitating visits by the Indian Jain community to their sacred sites.
She also highlighted the current lack of expertise in preserving Jain heritage, including paintings and artifacts, emphasizing the need for Jain experts who can understand and safeguard these artifacts in their authentic form.
Ashwani Jain of the Jain Heritage Foundation has disclosed that they have proposed the construction of a corridor from Sui village in Gujarat to Tharparkar in Pakistan.
This corridor would span approximately ten to twelve kilometers from India's international border in Gujarat.He mentioned that Tharparkar is home to approximately 7 to 8 historical Jain temples, with the Gori Parshvanath Temple being the most significant among them.
"The Jain community has migrated from Pakistan, and there is no one to take care of the Jain heritage. So, we have proposed to the Pakistan government to at least allow us a visa-free day-long pilgrimage. This would enable us to travel to Tharparkar, look after our temple, perform religious rites, and return," he explained.
He expressed gratitude towards Minister Shah for proposing the construction of the corridor.