ISLAMABAD – The opening of the Kartarpur corridor will “enormously improve”relations between India and Pakistan, former prime minister Manmohan Singhsaid on Saturday after he arrived here as part of the first batch of theIndian pilgrims through the cross-border pathway.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan formally inaugurated the historiccorridor to facilitate the visa-free entry of Indian Sikh pilgrims, PTI hasreported.
He welcomed the first batch of the Indian Sikh pilgrims who enteredPakistan through the corridor which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib inPakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanakshrine in Punjab’s Gurdaspur.
Singh arrived here as part of the first batch which also included AkalTakht Jathedar Harpreet Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh,former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, HarsimratKaur Badal, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and BJP MP SunnyDeol.Speaking to Pakistani reporters, the former prime minister termed theopening of the corridor as a “big moment”.
“India and Pakistan relations will improve enormously as a result of thisbeginning,” he said. The 87-year-old two-time prime minister and his wifepaid obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
Chief Minister Amarinder said the Sikh community has been waiting for afree passage for 70 years, and maintained that it is a good beginning, TheNation newspaper reported.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee members and all the 117 MLAsand MPs from Punjab including ministers are also part of the first ‘jatha’.Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first batch of over500 pilgrims, saying it will be easy to pay obeisance at the Darbar Sahibgurdwara after the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.Advertisement
Asserting that he is fortunate to be able to dedicate the Kartarpurcorridor to the country, Modi said the opening of the corridor and theintegrated check post will bring double happiness to the people.
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India and Pakistan relations touched a new low after the Indian governmenton August 5 abrogated the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir underArticle 370 and its bifurcation into two Union Territories.
Notwithstanding a chill in bilateral ties over Kashmir, India and Pakistanafter tough negotiations signed an agreement last month, paving the way forthe inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor on November 9.
According to the agreement between Pakistan and India, 5,000 pilgrims fromIndia can visit the shrine daily and the number can be increased in future.The requirement of passport and the USD 20 service fee have been waived forSaturday and for November 12 by Pakistan.
Separate events have been organised on both the sides of the border tolaunch the much-awaited corridor ahead of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak’s550th birth anniversary on November 12.
Guru Nanak Dev spent last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur Sahib, whichhas now become the world’s largest Sikh Gurdawara.