Pakistan shuts Kartarpur corridor for Indian pilgrims after 'Operation Sindoor'
What's the story
Pakistan has closed the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak (in Punjab's Gurdaspur district) in the wake of India's military offensive, 'Operation Sindoor.'
A senior official confirmed that no pilgrims would be allowed to cross over to Pakistan on Wednesday.
The shutdown comes in direct response to India's focused missile attacks on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Military action
Closed until further orders
India also announced that the corridor has been closed "until further notice" by the Bureau of Immigration, which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
On Wednesday, 150 pilgrims who had gathered at the integrated checkpoint were told to leave after being kept waiting for 90 minutes, according to The Tribune.
While the Attari-Wagah border was closed following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Kartarpur Corridor has remained open until now.
Corridor closure
Pilgrims turned away amid security concerns
Despite the suspension of the Kartarpur corridor, several devotees arrived early Wednesday morning hoping to get a visit to the historic shrine.
However, they were turned back by security personnel amid ongoing security concerns.
No official statement has been released by Pakistan regarding the corridor's closure.
The Kartarpur corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, allowing visa-free travel for Indian pilgrims to visit the Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
Historical significance
Kartarpur corridor: A bridge for Sikh pilgrims
The corridor, which allows visa-free travel for Indian pilgrims to the Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan, is a major bridge for Sikh devotees.
Normally, up to 5,000 pilgrims are permitted daily to visit the shrine.
It was built to mark Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary and is a symbol of religious harmony between India and Pakistan.