Congress Punjab President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday will visit the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur and offer prayers for the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor so that devotees could visit the shrine dedicated to Sikh Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan.
The pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara was suspended in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak. November 9 marks the second anniversary of the opening of the Kartarpur corridor, which connects the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to India.
“Going to Dera Baba Nanak for “ardas” for Kartarpur Corridor reopening … Dhan Dhan Baba Nanak,” Sidhu tweeted.
The corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, to commemorate the 550th Parkash Gurpurb of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
Early in August, Pakistan has lifted travel restrictions from 11 countries including India.
Pakistan had put India under Category C from May 22 till August 12 due to the spread of the Delta variant, which meant that the movement of people, including Sikh pilgrims, from India, was subjected to special permission.
On March 16, 2020, both India and Pakistan had temporarily suspended the day-long pilgrimage in wake of Covid 19 and also suspended the registration for the Kartarpur Sahib pilgrimage.
However, on October 2, 2020, the Pakistan government announced to unilaterally open the Kartarpur Sahib pilgrimage but India denied to reciprocate the gesture.
India and Pakistan signed the Kartarpur corridor agreement with Pakistan on October 24, 2019.
Under the pact, Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake round-the-year visa-free travel through the Kartarpur corridor to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib. (ANI)
