The Indian government has finally agreed on Pakistan’s proposal of opening Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims across the border.
After receiving a nod from the Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate Kartarpur corridor on November 28th.
The Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced this in a tweet on Thursday.
During Prime Minister’s oath-taking ceremony, Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa had proposed Navjaut Singh Sidhu to open Kartarpur border for Sikh pilgrims coming to Pakistan to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal District near the Indian border.
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary applauded Indian government’s decision, calling the step a ‘victory of peace lobby on both sides of the border.’
This time it was not one-way traffic as the development was endorsed by the Indian government as well.
“In a landmark decision, the Cabinet approves building and development of Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to International Border. Kartarpur corridor project with all modern amenities and facilities to be implemented with Central Government funding,” India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted soon after attending a high-level meeting in which the decision to open Kartarpur border was taken.
Sources well-placed in the foreign office confirmed that Indian Home Ministry, in a letter of thanks, appreciated Islamabad’s decision to open the Kartapur corridor.
The Gurudwara Kartarpur Darbar Sahib – situated in Punjab’s Narowal city – holds great significance for the Sikh community. The place is where the Sikh religious leader, Baba Guru Nanak, settled down after his travels as a missionary in 1521. There he lived there for 18 years until his death in 1539.
Indian cabinet’s decision has come at the right time as the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji is just around the corner.
