Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Corridor to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara could be another Indo-Pak CBM

Indian External Affairs Minister said that the building of a tarred corridor between the Dera Baba Nanak in India and the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan Narowal District, could serve as a possible confidence building measure between the two countries. Indian Minsiter was visiting Dera Baba Nanak at the invitation of Punjab Chief Minister to assess the feasibility of the corridor to facilitate pilgrims.

Indian Minister said it was necessarily to create a good relationship with Pakistan, as "We have already opened two routes with Pakistan and are ready to open more routes so that more people come and know each other, and remove existing misunderstandings."

The minister announced that the Indian Government would send a group of experts to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of the much in demand corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib. He said the team would submit a report to the government, following which the matter would be discussed with Pakistan. If Islamabad agreed to proposed project, it would be immediately implemented, he added. Mukherjee visit to the border was welcomed by various Sikh organizations.

Once the corridor was in place, Sikh devotees could enjoy a hassle-free sikh pilgrimage, instead of taking the circuitous journey via Wagah, Lahore and Narowal. The region would also experience heightened economic and sikh tourism activity as a result. Sikh pilgrims have been demanding a safe passage to the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib from Dera Baba Nanak for years.

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