The path will connect Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara in Gurdaspur (India) with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, located four kilometres deep inside International Border on Pakistan side
India and Pakistan will build a corridor along Kartarpur border in Punjab on respective sides, both nations announced separately on Thursday.
The path will connect Dera Baba Nanak Gurudwara in Gurdaspur (India) with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, also known as Kartarpur Sahib, located four kilometres deep inside International Border on Pakistan side.
The Gurdwara is believed to be the final resting place of founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, and one of the holiest shrines for Sikhs. Soon after the Union Cabinet, which met here with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to develop a corridor to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi tweeted that his country had already offered to open the route. He also informed that Prime Minister Imran Khan will do groundbreaking on November 28 to mark the construction of the corridor.
In August, Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had told cricketer-turned-politician and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu that Pakistan would open the Kartarpur crossing "when [the Sikh community] celebrates the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Nanak". Announcing the cabinet decision, Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted the announcement and said, "The Kartarpur corridor will provide smooth & easy passage to pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib throughout the year."
Singh said the Union cabinet also decided to develop the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi as heritage town on smart city principles. As major attraction for pilgrims and tourists, a heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi, 'Pind Babe Nanak da', will be developed to depict times of Guru Nanak Dev. Sultanpur Lodhi railway station will be upgraded and developed. A centre for inter-faith studies will be set up at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. Chairs on Guru Nanak Dev will be set up in one university each in the United Kingdom and Canada. International seminar on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev will be organised in New Delhi.
Confirming India had approached Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement said, "We have approached and urged the Pakistan government to recognise the sentiments of the Sikh community and build a corridor with suitable facilities in their territory to facilitate easy and smooth visits of pilgrims from India to Kartarpur Sahib throughout the year".
Later, at the cabinet briefing, Finance minister Arun Jaitley said, "All I can say is that the government of India has always been pursuing this matter."
The Kartarpur shrine is visible from Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak, where binoculars are installed. The Kartarpur corridor will be implemented as an integrated development project with central funding.
Pakistan's information minister Fawad Chaudhry also welcomed the decision with a tweet saying, "Indian Cabinet endorsement of Pakistan's proposition on Kartarpur Border Opening is victory of peace lobby in both countries, it's a step towards right direction and we hope such steps will encourage voice of reasons and tranquillity on both sides of the border."
The Gurudwara is of immense significance for Sikhs since Guru Nanak Dev ji spent 18 years at the location. Kartarpur is located in Narowal District in Pakistani Punjab. It is about 120 kms from Lahore and is located only 4 kms from the Indo-Pakistan border. At the time of partition, there were three Gurdwaras close to the border region which were historically and religiously important. India got two and Pakistan got one. Pakistani Gurdwara is the one where Nanak Sahab lived last days of his life. Dera Baba Nanak and Dera Chola Sahab are the two Gurdwaras in India. Dera Kartarpur is in Pakistan.
PIND BABE NANAK DA
A heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi, ‘Pind Babe Nanak da’, will be developed to depict times of Guru Nanak Dev. A centre for inter-faith studies will be set up at GND Univ in Amritsar
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