Pakistan decides to reopen Kartarpur Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to the Indian side to reopen Kartarpur Corridor on June 29 (Monday) on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, ARY News reported.

According to a press statement released by the Foreign Office, the Corridor had been temporarily closed on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, now as the religious places are gradually opening up around the world, Pakistan has also made necessary arrangements to reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims”.

To ensure adherence to the health guidelines, Pakistan has invited India to work out necessary SOPs for the reopening of the Corridor, the press release added.

In a tweet on Saturday, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan has conveyed its readiness to the Indian side to reopen the Kartarpur corridor on Monday.

As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) June 27, 2020

The Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan last year in November. The opening of the Corridor on the eve of the 550th Birth Anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak fulfilled the long awaited desire of Sikh devotees of the international community.

This landmark initiative by the Government of Pakistan had been immensely appreciated by the Sikh community all over the world including India. The first Guru of Sikhism, Baba Guru Nanak Saheb, had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur.