LAHORE, (DNA) – Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation of the Kartarpur corridor on Wednesday. The premier had arrived in Narowal flanked by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.
The ceremony was attended by federal and provincial ministers, foreign dignitaries and others. The groundbreaking ceremony was followed by Indian guests sprinkling Amrat Jal, holy water from the Golden Temple in Amritsar brought by Indian parliament member Gurjeet Singh Aujla who had walked barefoot to Lahore as a mark of respect.
Katarpur corridor: ‘A dream come true’ today for the Sikh community
The agreement between Pakistan and India to have a corridor, linking Gurdaspur’s Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib has been welcomed by the Sikh community that has long demanded they be able to walk to this major shrine directly from Dera Baba Nanak in India rather than through the Wagah border crossing.
The government has formulated a comprehensive plan to facilitate the Sikh devotees who will come to Pakistan to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. The plan includes renovation of the gurdwara, issuance of visas to the pilgrims and the provision of security and accommodation.
PM Imran had taken a personal interest in meeting Sikhs’ demand after Navjot Sidhu attended his swearing-in ceremony in Islamabad. The friendship between Khan and Sidhu goes back to their cricketing days.
Sindhu, now Tourism and Culture Minister of Indian Punjab had arrived in Lahore to participate in the ceremony on Tuesday. Other guests include the head of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, members of Indian Punjab assembly and senior journalists.
The head of the largest Sikh organisation Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Gobind Langowal has also come to Pakistan for the first time. Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India Sohail Mahmood will also participate in the ceremony while India’s Union Minister Harsimrat will represent their External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
The 16th-century shrine in Narowal district was where the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, breathed his last. Located four kilometers away on the banks of the River Ravi, the revered shrine is visible from the Indian side.
