Pakistan opens visa-free border crossing for India Sikhs

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan inaugurated Saturday a visa-free border crossing for Sikh pilgrims from India, allowing thousands of pilgrims to easily visit a Sikh shrine just inside Pakistan each day.

Imran Khan and Narendra Moda held separate opening ceremonies on their respective sides of the new border crossing. It's a rare sign of cooperation between the two nuclear-armed nations amid heightened tensions over the disputed Kashmir region, which both countries partially control but claim in its entirety.

"This is the biggest and happiest day for the Sikh community ... it will help with improving relations" between India and Pakistan, said Manmohan Singh, a former Indian prime minister. He was among the first group of 500 pilgrims to cross using the corridor.

Sikh pilgrims visit the shrine of their spiritual leader Guru Nanak Dev, at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary)

At the opening ceremony, Khan said: "This corridor is the beginning and things will move further toward the improvement in relations between Pakistan and India ... Once the Kashmir issue is resolved it will bring peace to this subcontinent."

The shrine to Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, is known as Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. It's the second-holiest place in the Sikh faith and is located on the Ravi River just 4.5 kilometers from Pakistan's border with India.

The shrine is visible from the Indian side of the border, and Sikhs would often gather on bluffs to view the site from the Indian side.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses during the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Pakistan's prime minister has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary)

The new arrangement allows pilgrims to apply online for special permits to visit the shrine. Visas to travel between Pakistan and India are normally difficult to obtain.

Over the past year, Pakistan constructed a huge complex around the shrine with facilities to accommodate 5,000 pilgrims daily, including a vast dining hall, a library and rooms for performing rituals.

Pakistani authorities have called it the biggest Sikh shrine in the world. The religious group makes up only a tiny minority in Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, center, claps during the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Pakistan's prime minister has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary)

Many Sikh holy sites were left in Pakistan after the British partitioned the subcontinent into separate nations in 1947 following two centuries of colonial rule.

Associated Press reporter Ashok Sharma in New Delhi contributed to this report.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses during the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Pakistan's prime minister has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary)

Indian cricketer turned politician Navjote Singh Sidhua addresses during the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Pakistan's prime minister Imran Khan has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary)

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2019, file photo, Pakistani workers give finishing touches to the shrine of Sikh spiritual leader Guru Nanak Dev, in Kartarpur, Pakistan. Pakistan's prime minister has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Imran Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2018, file photo, a Sikh pilgrim visits the shrine of their spiritual leader Guru Nanak Dev in Kartarpur, Pakistan. Pakistan's prime minister has inaugurated a visa-free initiative that allows Sikh pilgrims from India to visit one of their holiest shrines. Imran Khan opened the border corridor on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 as thousands of Indian pilgrims waited to visit the Kartarpur shrine. (AP PhotoK.M. Chaudary, File)

DETROIT (AP) — The Oakland Athletics no longer have to wonder where they'll play the next few seasons. That won't make the long goodbye any easier.

The A's reacted to the announcement that this will be their last year in Oakland with a mixture of sadness and relief.

“At least as a player, you know where you’re headed,” outfielder Seth Brown said Friday before a game against the Tigers in Detroit. “There’s obviously a lot of moving parts, a lot of stuff we’re not privy to, so it’s just been kind of a waiting game on our end. Where are we going to go? Where are we going to be? So I think just having that knowledge -- at least we know where we’re going to be playing next year.”

Vivek Ranadivé, who owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, and Oakland Athletics owner John Fisher announced Thursday that the A’s will temporarily relocate to West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park for at least three seasons. The A's are moving to Las Vegas after a new ballpark is constructed.

The River Cats, who are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants, will continue to play at the same facility.

Fisher was unable to reach an agreement with Oakland city officials on extending the lease at Oakland Coliseum, which expires at the end of this season. The A's have played in the city since 1968.

“There's direction now, which we've talked a lot about,” Oakland A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “We've got time to kind of reflect on what this really means from an organizational standpoint, the history that we've had in Oakland, with this being now the final season. There's a lot of emotion that goes behind this.”

It will not only cause some upheaval for the players and staff but also members of the organization that work behind the scenes.

“At the end of the day, we know where we're going to be for the next three seasons after the finish this year and that in itself gives a little bit of stability,” Kotsay said. “At the same time, in the present, it's challenging in certain ways to think about the finality of this organization in Oakland.”

Sacramento will be a much smaller environment to house a major league team. Ranadivé said the River Cats venue currently seats 16,000 when counting the stands, the lawn behind center field and standing room only.

First baseman Ryan Noda is concerned with the facilities. He's hopeful that significant upgrades will be made, much like the Toronto Blue Jays did at Buffalo's Triple-A facility. The Blue Jays played at Buffalo's Sahlen Field in 2020 in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“New walls, new dugouts, new locker rooms — everything they needed to become a big league stadium,” said Noda, who played some games in Sacramento as a minor leaguer. “As long as we can do something like that, then it'll be all right. But it's definitely going to be different than playing in stadiums that hold 40,000 people.”

Kotsay is confident the upgrades will occur.

“I know it will be of major league baseball quality,” he said. “It's has to be of major league baseball quality. I know the Players Association will make sure that takes place, as they did in Buffalo.”

For the rest of this season, the A's will have to deal with small home crowds and disappointed fans.

“We’re sad for the fans, the diehard fans, who always come to our games, always support us, always support the boys wearing the jersey,” Noda said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, center, shakes hands John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics, before the start of a news conference where Fisher announced his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4 2024.The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

John Fisher, owner of the Oakland Athletics baseball team, announces that his team will leave Oakland after this season and play temporarily at a minor league park, during a news conference in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The A's announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Sutter Health Park, home of the Triple A team Sacramento River Cats, is shown in West Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2024. The Oakland Athletics announced the decision to play at the home of the Sacramento River Cats from 2025-27 with an option for 2028 on Thursday after being unable to reach an agreement to extend their lease in Oakland during that time. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the eighth inning of the team's baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)