Global Glory of Sikh Shrines in Pakistan: Assessing Diplomatic Vistas of Kartarpur Corridor

Abstract

Despite being an Islamic republic, Pakistan houses diverse range of non-Muslims religious sanctuaries e.g. revered Sikh Gurudwaras, ancient Hindu & Jain temples, historic Buddhist Stupas and iconic Christian Churches with inherent potential to foster people-to-people contacts as well as to showcase Pakistan’s soft power in order to reap diplomatic benefits. Nonetheless, all of them have paramount importance, yet Sikh Shrines particularly Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur owing to its prestige and proximity to cross-border dense Sikh population, assumes unparalleled significance. Pakistan, while recognizing its diplomatic vitality, in a significant departure from traditional power dynamics, has operationalized Kartarpur Corridor in 2019. This qualitative research seeks to examine the diplomatic significance of the Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free pilgrimage channel to connect cross border Sikh devotees to their sacred shrine in Pakistan through the lens of people-to-people contact theory, as the initiative has transcended political boundaries and fostered people-to-people contacts at large scale. A comprehensive analysis of secondary data, existing relevant literature, and international responses, has been carried out to connect the dots of study. The study derives its significance from a dual approach: by analyzing visitation statistics (spanning from November, 2019 to December, 2023) of Pakistani, Indian, and international tourists to highlight corridor’s potential for fostering people-to-people contacts, as well as by presenting ten case studies of family reunifications facilitated by the Kartarpur Corridor, showcasing its role in nurturing meaningful regional connections and bolstering Pakistan’s soft power.