CM of Indian Punjab declines Pakistan's invite for Kartarpur corridor ground breaking ceremony

Indian Punjab's Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has declined Pakistan's invite for Kartarpur corridor ground breaking ceremony, NDTV  reported on Sunday.

"I hope the Prime Minister (Imran Khan) will understand that under these circumstances it will not be possible for me to be present in Pakistan on this historic occasion," he said after leveling allegations against Islamabad, according to  the TV channel.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had  invited the Chief minister  as well as his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj and cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj also excused from attending the  ceremony in a Twitter, but said government of Indian send its representatives to  the event. 

 "I thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Foreign Minister of Pakistan, for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on the Pakistan side of the international boundary on 28 November 2018," Sushma said on Twitter

"Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr HS Puri," she said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, will perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on November 28, according to Minister for Information Fawad Hussain here on Saturday.

He said the federal cabinet has also formally approved the opening of Kartarpur corridor to facilitate the Sikh community of India.

 He said visa-free entry will be provided to the pilgrims from India and a mechanism in this regard as being finalised. He remarked that the opening of Kartarpur corridor is a peace initiative of Pakistan to normalise relations with India because Islamabad wanted to defeat poverty and this endeavor will be pursued with utmost sincerity. The minister, however, said Pakistan could never forget the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.