Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed satisfaction with the arrangements for the opening of the Kartarpur Pass on November 9 and said he had given up the passport of the Sikh pilgrims in order to provide them the largest celebration facility on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the birth of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Nawaz Ahsan Iqbal, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) on Saturday, criticizing the Prime Minister for “safety hazards” and said the move was little known.
On the one hand, Khan provided unprecedented convenience to Indian citizens, meanwhile, India’s atrocities in the occupied Kashmir, said Mian Iftekhar Hussein, leader of the Pakistan People’s Party.
Bilawal-Zardari
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party, expressed similar views on Sunday. He told reporters in Bahawalpur that the move would make the occupied Kashmiri question whether Pakistan is “really serious about the Kashmir issue?”
The Prime Minister announced on Friday that he not only canceled his passport status but also registered the pilgrims 10 days before they arrived at the Kartarpur Pass. In hosting the Sunday meeting to review the arrangements for the open corridor, the Prime Minister said that India is not opening the corridor voluntarily and happily.
He also worried that the other side of the border would attempt to “destroy” efforts to facilitate the Sikh pilgrims. Mr. Khan praised his government for completing the corridor project “in record time”. He said hostilities are now ready to host Sikh pilgrims from all over the world.
The Prime Minister said that Sikhs want to enter Pakistan to participate in Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations, only need to prove their identity, because, after full verification and authorization, they will come from the Indian side.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister of Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Haq Qadri, Minister of the Interior Ijaz Shah and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Finance and Religious Affairs also attended the meeting.
After negotiations, Pakistan and India signed an agreement last month, paving the way for the opening of the Kartarpur corridor this month. The four-kilometre corridor of the Sikh pilgrims will provide visa-free travel for the round-trip to Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur and the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, India. However, up to 5,000 Indian Sikhs are allowed to enter each day and plans to double capacity.
Prime Minister Khan will unveil the Kartarpur Pass on November 9th to host former Indian cricket star and legislator Navjot Singh Sidhu. According to media reports, India has already shared a list with Pakistan, of which 575 will be members of the first Sikh delegation, who will visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the new corridor.
Prepare to provide 76 immigration counters to approximately 5,000 Sikh pilgrims from India. According to media reports, the border terminal is only 350 meters away from the pasture, and pilgrims will be transported by bus to Gurdwara, where they will be provided with airport-style facilities.
Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is 4.5 km from the international border of the Narowal region, one of the most sacred sights of the Sikhs. In the last 18 years of his life, this was the place where he lives, preaches, and live his last days of life.
Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter
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