Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary informed Friday that Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would arrive at the country to attend the ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor, according to a media report.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on November 28.
This will be Sidhu’s second visit to Pakistan this year.
Sidhu told Roznama Express that he has gladly accepted the invitation, sent by Khan for the November 28 event. He said the Pakistani premier was his friend and he will visit the country whenever he is invited by him.
“I don’t have words to express my joy,” he said.
The Kartarpur border issue came into focus this year after Sidhu went to attend Khan’s oath-taking ceremony, during which he met Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Ahmed Bajwa and gave him a hug after he said he had been told by Bajwa that Pakistan may open a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib.
A few days back, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi approved of the development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district to the International Border.
“The Kartarpur corridor will be implemented as an integrated development project with Government of India funding, to provide smooth and easy passage, with all the modern amenities. The government of India will put in place suitable facilities for smooth passage of pilgrims,” a press release had said.
Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh in a tweet said: “The Kartarpur corridor will provide smooth and easy passage to pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib throughout the year. Government of Pakistan will be urged to reciprocate and develop a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory.”
Chaudhry on Thursday had welcomed the Indian cabinet’s announcement and called it a “victory of peace”, reported the Dawn.
Country’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan had already informed India of its decision to open the Kartarpur corridor for Baba Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
