ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will break ground on the Kartarpur facilities on Nov 28, announced Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday.
In a tweet, he said: “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.”
His tweet came on the heels of Indian government’s endorsement of Pakistan’s offer to open Kartarpur border to facilitate Sikh pilgrims travelling to Pakistan.
According to Indian authorities, the Kartarpur Border corridor will begin from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and will end at the international border. The Kartarpur gurdwara is located in Narowal district near the Indian border where Sikh pilgrims often pay visit as it’s one of their holiest shrines.
Earlier today, Information Minister Chaudhry in his tweet said: “Indian Cabinet endorsement of Pakistan’s proposition on #KartarPurBorderOpening is victory of peace lobby in both countries, it’s a step towards right direction and we hope such steps ll encourage voice of reasons and tranquility on both sides of the border.”
According to the Press Trust of India, the decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Indian Minister for Finance, Arun Jaitley, also confirmed his government’s endorsement for the border opening, saying: Govt of India will develop a Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, Punjab to the international border…”
The Indian government says it will ask Pakistan government to build a similar corridor stretch on its land up to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.
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