KARTARPUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor, a border corridor between Pakistan and India, connecting the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
A large number of Indian Sikhs on Saturday made historic pilgrimage, travelling visa-free, to one of their religion's holiest sites under a landmark deal between the two countries.
In his speech at the inaugural ceremony, the prime minister welcomed the Sikh pilgrims and lauded the FWO, laborers and all the people who worked on the project.
"I had no idea that my government is so efficient," said the prime minister jokingly while commenting on the early completion of the Corridor Project.
Khan said he had realized the significance of Kartarpur only a year ago.
"A leader always unites people, he will never divide them," he said, adding that South Africans would never forget Nelson Mandela since he united his people.
"Nobody thought there would ever be justice in South Africa," he said.
The Pakistani leaders used the occasion to raise the issue of Occupied Kashmir where Indian forces have carried out a clamp down since August 5.
"We can resolve issue of Kashmir through dialogue," he said. The prime minister expressed the hope that South Asian countries would also prosper by following in the footsteps of France and Germany.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed 'deep concern' over the the Babri Masjid verdict, on Saturday.
A press release from the MoFA stated that the decision had exposed how minorities in India were not safe.
"As the United Nations recently noted that Indian Supreme Court’s response to human rights petitions in the context of Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir was slow, this decision points out that when it acts, it is unable to protect the interests of India’s minorities," read the press release.
The MoFA further noted that the rising tide of extremist Hindu ideology was a threat to regional peace and stability.
Navjot Singh Sidhu paid a poetic tribute to the Pakistani prime minister saying Imran Khan has created history with his initiative to open the Kartarpur Corridor.
He said Imran Khan has won hearts of millions of Sikhs. He said completing the corridor within 10 month-time was nothing short of a miracle.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said a corridor is being opened with the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor.
"It is a historic day," said he while inviting Sikhs from across the world to witness the hospitality in Pakistan.
"We should think who is sowing the seeds of hatred in sub-continent today," said he.
In his speech, the foreign minister also raised issue of Occupied Kashmir, urging Indian prime minister to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on the issue.
Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Kartarpur where he was due to inaugurate the border corridor.
The prime minister and his companions including Interior Minister Ijaz Shah and Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar shook hands and exchanged greetings with former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Hundreds of Indian Sikhs reached one of their religion's holiest sites as Pakistan opened the gates of Kartarpur Corridor enabling them to make a historic pilgrimage.
Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh was also among the pilgrims. He said the initiative would help improve relations between India and Pakistan.
"It is a big day for Sikh community," he said. He was accompanied by Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh and others.
"I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, for respecting the sentiments of India. I thank him for his cooperation," Narendra Modi said in televised comments from the inauguration of the corridor on the Indian side of the border.
Prime Minister Imran departed from Islamabad to inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor.
He was accompanied by Interior Minister Ijaz Shah, Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri, Special Assistant Firdous Ashiq Awan and Zulfi Bukhari.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor is the testimony of Pakistan's commitment to regional peace.
“We believe that the road to prosperity of region and bright future of our coming generation lies in peace," he said in his message on the eve of the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor scheduled on Saturday (today).
Congratulating the Sikh community on both sides of the border and the world over on the historic day of inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, the prime minister said the significance of the event for the Sikh community, on 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, could be well understood by the Muslims who knew what it meant to visit the holy places. Read more here
Related: Sunny Deol heading to Pakistan for Kartarpur opening
Pilgrims will be charged $20 each under service charges. However, they will be exempted from paying the charges on the day of the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
After their immigration process is completed, the pilgrims will reach the Gurdwara by bus through the 4km-long Corridor.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will see off the first group of pilgrims later Saturday and they will be welcomed by Prime Minister Imran Khan at the shrine.
The deal allows for up to 5,000 pilgrims a day to cross.
Pakistan has employed hundreds of labourers to spruce up the shrine, including building a border immigration checkpoint and a bridge, as well as expanding the site’s grounds.
From India, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu will arrive for the inauguration ceremony as the government of Pakistan granted him a visa on Thursday.
Bollywood actor Sunny Deol and former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh are expected to attend the ground breaking ceremony.
India authorities on Saturday barred cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu from entering Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border, sources said, days after giving go-ahead to him. Read more
The 4.5 km-long corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Indian Punjab's Gurdaspur with Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur located in Narowal district of Pakistan.
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, situated in Kartarpur, is the second holiest place for the Sikh community. This is 120 km away from Lahore and situated in a small village of Kotheypind at the bank of River Ravi — at a distance of only 4 km from Pakistan-India border.
This village is included in Shakargarh tehsil of Narowal district and the beautiful white Gurdwara looks elegantly placed between the grasslands.
It has been said in the agreement reached between Pakistan and India that daily five thousand Sikh yatris (pilgrims) will be allowed to visit the Gurdwara through the Corridor.
To facilitate the Sikh yatris, the government has installed 130 counters, where their passports will be confirmed or scanned, and permit will be verified.
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