ISLAMABAD: The Sikh community all around the world is set to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of Kartarpur Corridor on November 9 and this event is seen as a manifestation of Pakistan’s desire for peace with its neighbour.
On November 9 last year, Prime Minister Imran Khan fulfilled the desire of 30 million Sikhs around the world, for whom the Kartarpur Corridor is one of their holiest places, by formally opening it.
The ceremony was attended by Sikh leaders from India including former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Indian cricketer and lawmaker Navjot Singh Sidhu.
The opening of corridor was widely recognized as ‘a new symbol of peace’ by the world community.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, during his visit to Pakistan in February this year, acknowledged the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor as “a practical proof of Pakistan’s desire for peace and interfaith harmony”.
During his visit to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur and the Kartarpur Corridor, he called the opening of the corridor a “good step” in promoting interfaith harmony.
Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is located in Narowal district which is the last resting place of Baba Guru Nanak Sahib, who had settled there and preached for about 18 years.
The four-kilometre-long corridor enabled the Sikh pilgrims to travel between Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur and the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, India.
Immigration counters and all other state-of-the-art facilities have been provided for the Sikh pilgrims. The border terminal had been built 350 metres from the zero-point and the pilgrims are transported on buses to the Gurdwara.
