Lahore, 18 November
Over 100 Sikh pilgrims from India, including Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, are expected to access the visa-free Kartarpur corridor at Pakistan’s revered Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib on Thursday, nearly 20 months after the pilgrimage was suspended following the Covid outbreak. Was. After.
On Wednesday, the first batch of 28 Indian Sikhs, including women, arrived in Pakistan on Friday to participate in the annual celebrations of the birth of Guru Nanak. Similarly, over 2,500 Indian Sikhs also arrived from across the Wagah border.
“The Chief Minister (Channi) of Indian Punjab is going to Darbar Sahib on Thursday along with his delegation,” said Mohammad Latif, chief executive officer of Kartarpur Project Management Unit.
Latif also told Dawn newspaper that over 100 Indian pilgrims are expected to visit the gurdwara on Thursday.
The Kartarpur Corridor connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan with Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district.
Guru Parv, which is celebrated as Guru Nanak Jayanti, will be celebrated on November 19.
Till Wednesday, more than 2500 Sikh pilgrims have reached the Wagah border.
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi told Dawn newspaper that the pilgrims left for Nankana Sahib soon after arriving on Friday to attend the main event at the Gurdwara Janmasthan.
“All Sikhs coming from India and elsewhere will be given access to Kartarpur Sahib,” he said.
The pilgrimage to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
The Government of India on Wednesday reopened the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on its part. PTI