After border setback, fresh batch of Haryana Sikh pilgrims depart for Pakistan
The group was flagged off from the historic Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi in Kurukshetra by Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda.
The group was flagged off from the historic Gurdwara Chhevin Patshahi in Kurukshetra by Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) president Jagdish Singh Jhinda.
The Home Ministry has said that due to the prevailing security scenario with Pakistan, it would not be possible to send Sikh pilgrims Jathas to Kartarpur Sahib and Nankana Sahib in November this year.
Punjab’s Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh told the media that the corridor will be shut for the day.
The Kartarpur Corridor, connecting the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to Gurudwara Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district, is set to reopen for pilgrims on Tuesday as the flood-situation eased near the India-Pakistan border.
The reopening of Kartarpur will assist thousands of devotees, largely Sikhs, to visit the final resting place of Guru Nanak in Pakistan.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Amarinder Singh said his government would be happy to work in conjunction with the Centre to ensure adherence to proper Covid-19 protocols, including testing and vaccination of pilgrims using the corridor.
The Corridor was temporarily closed by the Indian government on March 16 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
India and Pakistan in October 2019 signed an agreement to operationalise the Kartarpur Corridor to allow Indian pilgrims a visa-free visit to the holy gurdwara, believed to have been built on the site where Guru Nanak died in the 16th century, and located some 4 km inside Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh on Tuesday made it clear that regardless of security concerns, the Kartarpur Corridor will remain open for ‘Khulle Darshan Deedar’ (free access) of Gurdwara (Sikh shrine) Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.
The UN chief also visited the community kitchen (langar) at the gurdwara, where he was served a traditional meal of rice and lentils.
