Islamabad
Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal on Thursday said that 10,000 people will be attending the Kartarpur Corridor inauguration on November 09 Saturday. During his weekly press briefing, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan has issued a visa to Navjot Singh Sidhu, an Indian Congress member and former cricketer. We hope he will attend, said Dr Faisal.
He said that Kartarpur Corridor between Pakistan and India will change the history of the region. The FO spokesman said that no fee will be charged from the Sikh pilgrims coming to Kartarpur on November 9 and November 10. The passport condition for the travelers was waived off only for one year, he said.
He said the Indian army has killed another four people in Kashmir. This invading army has the valley under complete lockdown, he said. We called the Indian deputy high commissioner over these Line of Control violations, he said, adding that they conveyed Pakistan’s condemnation. Three civilians were killed in Indian firing along the LoC, he said.
He also rejected maps issued last week by the Indian home ministry placing Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Gilgit-Baltistan within the territorial jurisdiction of India. Dr Faisal also announced that special coins were being issued for Baba Guru Nanak’s birthday. He also confirmed that some conditions that had been set for Sikh pilgrims had been reversed, such as the passport requirement, $20 fee and having to inform the government 10 days before they wanted to visit the gurdwara in Kartarpur.
The inauguration will be held on November 9, he said, adding that Pakistan has completed the corridor in time. We are constantly working on implementation of the FATF’s action plan, he also said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a message shared on social media, reiterated that Sikhs from all countries will travel to the world‘s largest Gurdwara. “This Gurdwara will strengthen local economy […] many jobs will also be created in traveling, religious tourism and hospitality sectors,” he stated. “Buddhists have also been coming to visit different religious spots in Pakistan.”
The historic agreement aims to allow the intending Sikh pilgrims to visit Baba Guru Nanak’s shrine – one of Sikhism’s holiest sites in the world where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, died in the 16th Century.The Sikh minority in India has long sought easier access to the temple, which is just over the border in Pakistan. 5,000 pilgrims shall be permitted to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on any given day, with an additional provision for more pilgrims on special days including Gurpurab, Baisakhi, etc., subject to capacity.
Considering the agreement, the amount of revenue Pakistan can generate sums up to $100,000 every day and since the corridor will remain open 365 days of the year, it can potentially generate a direct income of USD36.5 million i.e. about Rs5.55 billion per annum.—INP
