Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal on Thursday has said that Kartarpur Corridor between Pakistan and India will change the history of the region.
During a weekly news briefing, the FO spokesman said that no fee will be charged from the Sikh pilgrims coming to Kartarpur on November 9 and November 10. The passport condition for the travelers was waived off only for one year, he told.
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Dr Faisal further said that Indian cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has been issued the visa to attend the opening ceremony of the corridor on November 9.
Responding to a question, the spokesperson said the opening of the Kartarpur corridor was the sole initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan which was then followed by the Indian side.
The spokesperson regretted the Indian posture of not reciprocating to Pakistan’s peace overtures for resolution of all outstanding disputes including those relating to Kashmir, water, Sir Creek and Siachen.
Dr Muhammad Faisal said humanitarian nightmare in occupied Kashmir is worsening with continuous military lockdown and communications blockade by India. He said eight million Kashmiri people have been cut off from the rest of the world. He asked the world community to impress upon India to half blatant human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and move towards resolution of the festering dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
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When asked about the harassment of Pakistani diplomats in Afghanistan, the spokesperson urged the Afghan government to fulfill its responsibility regarding the protection of the members of the Pakistani mission. He said the embassy of Pakistan in Kabul will be processing visa applications for medical emergencies during the closure of consulate service there.
When asked to comment on the Yemen peace agreement brokered by Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson expressed the confidence that this will lead to a reduction of tension in the region.
To a question, Dr Muhammad Faisal said dates for the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are being worked out. He said the visit will soon take place.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a message shared on social media, reiterated that Sikhs from all countries will travel to the world‘s largest Gurdwara. “This Gurdwara will strengthen local economy […] many jobs will also be created in traveling, religious tourism and hospitality sectors,” he stated. “Buddhists have also been coming to visit different religious spots in Pakistan.”
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The historic agreement aims to allow the intending Sikh pilgrims to visit Baba Guru Nanak’s shrine – one of Sikhism’s holiest sites in the world where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, died in the 16th Century.