New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed devotees ahead of Kartarpur Corridor inauguration which will connect the Dera Baba Nanak in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. PM Modi thanked his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan for understanding India's sentiment on the issue of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor. “I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Niazi for respecting the sentiments of India,” said PM Modi at the Gurdaspur Gurudwara.
Asserting that he is fortunate to be able to dedicate the Kartarpur corridor to the country, he said the opening of the corridor and the integrated check post will bring double happiness to the people. "We have become irresponsible about the environment," the prime minister said.
PM Modi will inaugurate the corridor on the Indian side while his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan will attend a similar event on the Indian side.
Prime Minister Modi will flag off the first batch of over 500 Indian pilgrims that will travel to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the Kartarpur Corridor which is being thrown open on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev. The first batch of pilgrims include former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Akal Takht jathedar Harpreet Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, former CM Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu. SGPC members and all the 117 MLAs and MPs from Punjab including ministers are also part of the 'jatha'.
The prime minister will inaugurate passenger terminal building, also known as Integrated Check Post, where pilgrims will get clearance to travel through the newly-built 4.5 km-long Corridor. The Corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak with Darbar Sahib -- also called Kartarpur Sahib -- the last resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, in Narowal district in Pakistan.
The inauguration of the ICP check post will facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
India had signed an agreement with the neighbouring nation on October 24 on the modalities for operationalisation of the corridor at 'Zero Point' of the international boundary at Dera Baba Nanak, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the five-day festival on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev began in Dera Baba Nanak and Sultanpur Lodhi on Friday and will conclude on November 12.
