<p>India and Pakistan are set to sign an agreement on Indian pilgrims visiting a Sikh shrine in Pakistan, rare cooperation between the nuclear-armed neighbours at a time of tension that has brought exchanges of fire on their disputed border.</p>.<p>The pact will introduce visa-free access from India to the Pakistani town of Kartarpur, home to a temple that marks the site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, died.</p>.<p>India's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Monday an understanding had been reached on most issues and India was prepared to sign the agreement on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment but Pakistan's Dawn newspaper cited a foreign ministry spokesman as saying the agreement had been reached and the two sides would sign the pact soon.</p>.<p>The Sikh minority in India has long sought easier access to the temple in Kartarpur, which is just over the border in Muslim-majority Pakistan.</p>.<p>The collaboration comes at a time of tension between the rivals, with Pakistan particularly aggrieved over recent Indian government measures in its part of the divided Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.</p>.<p>Both countries claim the Himalayan region in full but rule it in part.</p>.<p>India in August revoked special autonomy in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which was accompanied by a crackdown on dissent by India's security forces there, angering Pakistan.</p>.<p>The dispute over Kashmir has bedevilled relations since their independence in 1947 and sparked two of their three wars.</p>.<p>India said on Sunday two soldiers and a civilian were killed in cross-border shelling in Kashmir while Pakistan said one of its soldiers and three civilians had been killed.</p>.<p>In February, they came close to war following a suicide bombing in Indian Kashmir that killed 40 paramilitary soldiers. In response, India launched an airstrike on the Pakistani side and Pakistan shot down an Indian aircraft.</p>.<p>The new crossing will be inaugurated in early November, just before the 550th birthday of Sikhism's founder on Nov. 12, officials from both sides have said.</p>.<p>The shrine is about 4 km (2-1/2 miles) from the border. The crossing and corridor, including a road, bridge over the Ravi River and immigration office, will replace a drawn-out visa process and circuitous journey through Pakistan.</p>.<p>But there is still disagreement over a $20 fee that Pakistan wants to charge each visitor.</p>.<p>India "has consistently urged Pakistan that in deference to the wishes of the pilgrims, it should not levy such a fee", India's foreign ministry said.</p>
<p>India and Pakistan are set to sign an agreement on Indian pilgrims visiting a Sikh shrine in Pakistan, rare cooperation between the nuclear-armed neighbours at a time of tension that has brought exchanges of fire on their disputed border.</p>.<p>The pact will introduce visa-free access from India to the Pakistani town of Kartarpur, home to a temple that marks the site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, died.</p>.<p>India's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Monday an understanding had been reached on most issues and India was prepared to sign the agreement on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment but Pakistan's Dawn newspaper cited a foreign ministry spokesman as saying the agreement had been reached and the two sides would sign the pact soon.</p>.<p>The Sikh minority in India has long sought easier access to the temple in Kartarpur, which is just over the border in Muslim-majority Pakistan.</p>.<p>The collaboration comes at a time of tension between the rivals, with Pakistan particularly aggrieved over recent Indian government measures in its part of the divided Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.</p>.<p>Both countries claim the Himalayan region in full but rule it in part.</p>.<p>India in August revoked special autonomy in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which was accompanied by a crackdown on dissent by India's security forces there, angering Pakistan.</p>.<p>The dispute over Kashmir has bedevilled relations since their independence in 1947 and sparked two of their three wars.</p>.<p>India said on Sunday two soldiers and a civilian were killed in cross-border shelling in Kashmir while Pakistan said one of its soldiers and three civilians had been killed.</p>.<p>In February, they came close to war following a suicide bombing in Indian Kashmir that killed 40 paramilitary soldiers. In response, India launched an airstrike on the Pakistani side and Pakistan shot down an Indian aircraft.</p>.<p>The new crossing will be inaugurated in early November, just before the 550th birthday of Sikhism's founder on Nov. 12, officials from both sides have said.</p>.<p>The shrine is about 4 km (2-1/2 miles) from the border. The crossing and corridor, including a road, bridge over the Ravi River and immigration office, will replace a drawn-out visa process and circuitous journey through Pakistan.</p>.<p>But there is still disagreement over a $20 fee that Pakistan wants to charge each visitor.</p>.<p>India "has consistently urged Pakistan that in deference to the wishes of the pilgrims, it should not levy such a fee", India's foreign ministry said.</p>