Corridor to visit temple in PoK may be opened

NEW DELHI: Pakistan is taking steps to open a corridor for Hindu pilgrims from India to visit the Sharda Temple in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to media reports.

The move comes in the wake of efforts by the two countries to open a corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak in India with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Express News channel cited sources in the foreign ministry as saying that government officials would visit the Sharda Temple and submit a report to the prime minister.

Sharda Peeth is believed to be 5,000 years old and was once regarded as one of the leading temple universities of the subcontinent. There is a pond called Madomati near the temple and its water is as sacred to Hindus as the water of Katasraj temple.

“Pakistan has decided to open the Sharda temple. I am going to visit the place in a couple of days. I will also send a report... to Prime Minister Imran Khan. Work on the project will start in the current year, after which Hindus in Pakistan will also be able to visit the site,” said Ramesh Vankwani, a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.

People familiar with developments in New Delhi said India had made several requests for opening a corridor to Sharda temple as part of the erstwhile composite dialogue.