Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan recently took to Twitter, announcing that his government would be waiving off two key requirements for Indians planning pilgrimages to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, located in Punjab, Pakistan. 

 

For Sikhs coming for pilgrimage to Kartarpur from India, I have waived off 2 requirements: i) they wont need a passport - just a valid ID; ii) they no longer have to register 10 days in advance. Also, no fee will be charged on day of inauguration & on Guruji's 550th birthday

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 1, 2019

Announced just a day after Imran Khan's invitation to politician-celebrity Navjot Singh Sidhu, the waivers will allow pilgrims to visit Kartarpur with just a valid ID - previously, pilgrims were required to carry a visa as well as register 10 days in advance. 

Additionally, PM Khan announced that fees would be waived during the inauguration, as well as Guru Nanak's 550th birthday, which falls on the 12th of November this year.

Given the on-edge nature of Indo-Pak politics this year, such a gesture was greeted with a fair share of positivity on Twitter - notably a tweet from politician Mehbooba Mufti, who is deeply entrenched with the current Article 370 issue.

 

Great step by @ImranKhanPTI . It will not just raise religious harmony, tourism, foreign exchange, strong ties with a religious group, humanity but also we can get more benefits from this Kartarpur border (as india took from Pathan kot) @OfficialDGISPR

— ÙÙÛ Ú©Ú¾ÙÙ Ù¾ÙÛز (@MunhKholPls) November 1, 2019

Pakistani supporters enthusiastically supported the move:

 

Wonderful decision. Most Sikhs are farmers living in areas nearby border. It will be far easier for them to just come across by showing ID.

— Ammad Hassan (@ammad4147) November 1, 2019

 

Great step by @ImranKhanPTI . It will not just raise religious harmony, tourism, foreign exchange, strong ties with a religious group, humanity but also we can get more benefits from this Kartarpur border (as india took from Pathan kot) @OfficialDGISPR

— ÙÙÛ Ú©Ú¾ÙÙ Ù¾ÙÛز (@MunhKholPls) November 1, 2019

A few Indians also decided to support this decision:

 

Thanks ....for this gesture.ð

— Alpana Gupta (@AlpanaG85337826) November 1, 2019

 

A good gesture
We must appreciateð this.
Sikh pilgrimage will feel comfortable
And convenient.A positiveð° move by
Pak PM Imran Khan.he really shown sportsman spirit and liberal religious spirit.Indiað®ð³ welcome this move.

— ANJAN K. SINGH (@AnjanKu73304570) November 1, 2019

Rather unsurprisingly, however, the announcement also attracted droves of Indian and Pakistani trolls. 

Despite the cooperative nature of the initiative, several users on both sides of the border began to spread hateful or crude messages as well.

 

Lekin tum saare Aatankwadi ho ye baat koi nakaar nahi sakta gaanduððððð¤£ð¤£ð¤£ð¤£
Aur haan... #PKMKBForever ð­ð­ð pic.twitter.com/SmFopkRPEw

— Vivekananadðï¸‍ð¨ï¸ð®ð³ (@Viivekanand0063) November 1, 2019

 

Is your sister marrying with dogð¤ð¤ pic.twitter.com/Zx4RQVkq7K

— Luckyshah (@luckyshah514) November 1, 2019

Some criticised the move in more civilised ways.

 

This is good but don't put security of your country at risk. When Muslims go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah or Hajj they have to go through all security process required by Saudi govt

— Shahjhan Malik (@shahjhan_malikk) November 1, 2019

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