24 November 2018•Update: 25 November 2018
By Islamuddin Sajid
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
Pakistani foreign minister on Saturday invited his Indian counterpart to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of a new cross-border corridor for Sikh pilgrims.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the construction of the corridor on Kartarpur crossing point on November 28.
"On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh [Chief Minister Indian Punjab province] & Navjot Singh Sidhu [former cricketer and cabinet minister of Indian Punjab] to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpur on 28 2018" Shah Mehmood Qureshi tweeted.
Kartarpur border connects Pakistan's northeastern Narowal city to India's eastern Gurdaspur district.
Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib -- situated in Narowal -- is one of the most revered temples for the Sikh community as Baba Guru Nanak spent 18 years of his life there.
A longtime demand of Sikh community from both sides to open the crossing as the distance between the temple and Gurdaspur is arduous.
For her part, Swaraj thanked Qureshi for inviting her to the groundbreaking ceremony and said she is unable to attend the ceremony due to commitment.
"Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr.H.S.Puri," Swaraj said in her twitter post.
Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary celebrations
On Thursday, India had accepted an offer from Pakistan to build a corridor for Sikh pilgrims on both sides of the border to make easier for Indian Sikh to visit their religious site in Pakistan.
Addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said his government had decided to develop the Kartarpur Sahib corridor from Gurdaspur district of east Punjab till Narowal district of Pakistan Punjab.
government will also celebrate the 550th anniversary of Nanak in a grand way, he announced.
The 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak will be held next year at his birthplace, Nankana Sahib district of Pakistani Punjab.
Pakistan, earlier this year, had announced to celebrate the next year's event at the government level.
Following Islamabad’s move, New Delhi has also invited Pakistani Sikh community to attend the festivities set to begin in November next year.
The two countries have also announced to issue commemorative coins and postage stamps to mark the event besides holding seminars, and symposiums.
Pakistan expects 100,000 pilgrims from within and abroad to participate in the events scheduled to be held in Nankana Sahib.
