By: Haseeb Ur Rehman
Guru Nanak spent the last eighteen years of his life in kartarpur in farming, to teach peace and brotherhood to the people. Thousands of Muslims and Hindus had become Guru’s followers for life. Guru Nanak didn’t make a Sikh religion, but the Sikh civilization came into being after his death, many years the Muslims and Hindus both followed in Guru Nanak teachings as their religious guide or leaders. After these non-Muslim followers were called as Sikhs. In Punjab, the Muslim-Hindus conflict began over the death of Guru Nanak because both have different rituals of burring. In Guru Nanak burial many Muslims also participated and during this, a conflict was generated between Hindus and Muslims, either he will be buried within Muslim or Hindu graveyard. When the dead body handed over the Muslims and Hindus followers to be buried in their rituals at the kartarpur which later called Kartarpura Darbar. But in my opinion, after this conflict, the real reason for the separation of Punjab is hatred.
Guru Gobind Singh was the follower of Guru Nanak and 10th Guru of that time. Hindus conspiracy worked by the hands of King Aurangzeb, he showed huge oppressiveness over the Guru Gobind Singh’s followers. As a leader, Guru Singh asked his followers to move towards jungles to live for a longer period with the following five necessary materials; uncut hair, wooden comb, iron bracelet, cotton underpants, and an iron dagger. In the 17th century was the frightful era for Muslims and Sikhs after the establishment of the Sikh religion large numbers, battles took place against Mughal empire leadership in Punjab between Muslims and Sikhs. In the 18th century, Sikhs made their 12 fighter groups (jangju) or every misl had one leader with an aim to capture the villages very brutally and ask them to join Sikhism otherwise they will be murdered.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Grandfather Charat Singh’s misl captured all other misls (Sikh fighter groups) and made his huge army. Ranjit Singh becomes a great emperor in the 19th century with the help of the grand’s army in Punjab that ruled for half a century. Despite all these Muslims and Sikhs had good relations together, celebrated festivals together, eat and greet together because the blood of Muslims and Sikhs was one. Their history, grandfathers, and caste were all the same. But some evil people are spreading hatred.
In 1947, when Pakistan and India got freedom, Punjab’s 54% of land came to the part of Pakistan territory and 46% in the Indian Territory. Due to Indian conspiracy towards the gateway to Kashmir, district Gurdaspur except for one tehsil Shakargarh was given to them instead of Pakistan. And this is how Darbar kartarpur is located in shakargarh tehsil came under Pakistan. Another Hindus conspiracy began with the increasing rivalry between Muslims and Sikhs in Punjab and Jammu Kashmir by conflicts through the Hindu Tara Singh between Muslims and Sikhs after the partition in 1947. This bad temper between both countries made various difficulties for Sikhs. But somehow relations got better for the Sikh community from 1975 to 1984, Pakistanis heartily welcome and greet their guests and gave full comfort to their visit to holy places. But in the 1980s, due to the critical conditions of Indian Punjab, the Indian government put high visa restrictions over Sikhs. After the request from the Indian government for kartarpur corridor in the 1990s, it is accepted by the government of Pakistan but later refused by India for security concerns. With time electronic media, social media played its major role to connect the Sikh community around the globe to attach emotionally with their pilgrims and chances of visit increased for only affordable people or as a guest of Pakistani friend.
Kartarpur corridor initiative is a gesture of peace and Pakistan building positive vibes around the world as the peace-loving country and each religion can be cherished on Pakistan’s soil. The Kartarpur Corridor is expected to open doors for the region’s economic growth and boost the tourism industry on both sides. People of both sides want peace and development; it will generate economic connectivity between two Punjab’s. It is a way to have peace between both countries. This is a good diplomacy door between Pakistan and India. This corridor will help in advancing trade and economic relations and promoting tourism between the two countries. The mutual trade of agricultural products between both the countries, especially between the agriculture rich two Punjab will greatly contribute towards facilitating the timely provision of staple food items, sugar, wheat, vegetables and fruits at lower prices, thus helping the people of both the countries. Imran khan’s government proved and showed the diplomatic world the real meaning of a liberal approach towards peace and corporation. Now Sikh visitors conceive good moral values of Pakistani nation. Kartapur corridor also plays an important role in strategic restrain between Pakistan and Indian.
The writer is a student of National Defence University, Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected]