WEB DESK / AMN / Islamabad / NEW DELHI
PAKISTAN has welcomed the Indian cabinet’s Cabinet approval of building and development of Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to International Border.
Pakistan Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry while welcoming India’s decision said it is a “victory of peace”.
“It is a step towards the right direction and we hope such steps will encourage voice of reasons and tranquility on both sides of the border,” he said via Twitter.
Indian Cabinet endorsement of Pakistan’s proposition on #KartarPurBorderOpening is victory of peace lobby in both countries, its a step towards right direction and we hope such steps ll encourage voice of reasons and tranquility on both sides of the border.
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 22, 2018
Earlier Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan had already informed India of its decision to open the Kartarpur corridor for Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
“PM Imran Khan will break ground on Nov 28; we welcome the Sikh community to Pakistan for this auspicious occasion,” added Qureshi.
Pakistan has already conveyed to India it's decision to open Kartarpura Corridor for Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary. PM Imran Khan will do break ground at Kartarpura facilities on 28th November. We welcome the Sikh community to Pakistan for this auspicious occasion.
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) November 22, 2018
Indian cabinet Thursday decided to develop the corridor that will enable Sikh pilgrims to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
The corridor will connect Dera Baba Nanak in Indian Punjab’s Gurdaspur to Kartarpur in Pakistan’s Narowal district where the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib — the shrine of revered saint Baba Guru Nanak — is situated.
Earlier Paksitan Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal had said the government will soon announce “good news about the opening of Kartarpur crossing”.
In August, Pak Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had told Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu that Pakistan would open the Kartarpur crossing
“when (the Sikh community) celebrates the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Nanak”, when the latter had visited Islamabad for Prime Minister Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony. The 550th birth anniversary of the revered Sikh figure is next year.
In September, Chaudhry, in an interview reiterated the offer saying that “[the government] wants to formalise the informal proposal the Pakistan army chief made to Sidhu”.
Thousands of Sikh devotees from India visit Pakistan every year to celebrate the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. This year — for the 549th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak — the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi issued over 3,500 visas to Sikh pilgrims who wished to attend the celebrations that will last for more than a week.