PM Imran lays foundation stone of Kartarpur corridor

Army chief says Kartarpura corridor a step towards peace in South Asia

In a long-awaited move, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur corridor which connects Narowal's Gurdwara Darbar Sahib to Dera Baba Nanak situated in India's Gurdaspur.

The premier had arrived for the groundbreaking ceremony flanked by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu.

The ceremony was also attended by federal and provincial ministers and foreign dignitaries.

The groundbreaking ceremony was followed by Indian guests sprinkling Amrat Jal (holy water) from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Indian parliament member Gurjeet Singh Aujla walked barefoot to Lahore as a mark of respect.

Addressing the ceremony following the groundbreaking ritual, Sidhu reflected on the philosophy of Guru Nanak Devji. “Baba sahib urged against discrimination on the basis of colour, caste and creed.”

Thanking PM Imran for the initiative, he called for an end to bloodshed and restoration of peace between the two countries. “There must be someone to ensure peace. I am thankful to the Indian government and Imran Khan for uniting people again.”

“Imran Khan’s name will be written in history books whenever there is a mention of Kartarpur,” he said.

In his speech, Foreign Minister Qureshi welcomed the Sikh community from across the border. “The flame of the love ignited by Guru Nanak is afresh. There is a need to understand his message. We are laying down the foundation of the corridor to reduce distances.”

"We must remember Jinnah’s speech of August 11, 1947 – when he said people were free to go to temples and mosques. The state has nothing to do with religion," he said. "It is a great opportunity for Islamabad and New Delhi to resolve our issues and promote bilateral ties. We will have to take further steps to make South Asia safe."



Prime Minister Imran Khan in his speech stressed that the Kashmir dispute can be solved if the two countries showed honest resolve.

“The leadership of Pakistan and India must break free from the shackles of the past. Peace cannot be attained unless both the sides looked towards the future instead of dwelling on what has happened. It would be madness to think about a war between two nuclear powers,” said the premier.

Imran Khan dismissed myths of differences between civilian and military leadership over friendship with India. “I want to tell you that the civil and military institutions are on the same page.”

He reiterated his inaugural speech statement that Pakistan was ready to take two steps if India took one. “The blame game and point scoring must stop. The past teaches you a lesson to move forward.”

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, later, said the Kartarpura corridor was a step towards peace in the region.

“Barbed wire at borders is measure by a sovereign state to check / deny illegal crossings. Corridors & Gates are for legal peaceful visitors. So is the case for all our neighbors,” he quoted by DG ISPR Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor as saying in a tweet.

COAS attended Kartarpura Corridor ceremony.“It’s a step towards peace which our region needs. Barbed wire at borders is measure by a sovereign state to check / deny illegal crossings. Corridors & Gates are for legal peaceful visitors. So is the case for all our neighbors”, COAS. pic.twitter.com/d5K7AmLEYS

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) November 28, 2018

The agreement between Pakistan and India to have a corridor, linking Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur Sahib has been welcomed by the Sikh community that has long demanded they be able to walk to this major shrine directly from Dera Baba Nanak in India rather than through the Wagah border crossing.

The government has formulated a comprehensive plan to facilitate the Sikh devotees who will come to Pakistan to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. The plan includes renovation of the gurdwara, issuance of visas to the pilgrims and the provision of security and accommodation.

PM Imran had taken a personal interest in meeting demands of the community after Sidhu attended his swearing-in ceremony in Islamabad. The friendship between Khan and Sidhu goes back to their cricketing days.

“We expect the #KartarpurCorridor will be fully functional before 550th birth anniversary of #GuruNanak ” - @ForeignOfficePk spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal pic.twitter.com/p3oXtWiPeS

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 28, 2018

Sidhu, now the Tourism and Culture Minister of Indian Punjab, had arrived in Lahore to participate in the ceremony on Tuesday. Other guests include the head of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, members of Indian Punjab assembly and senior journalists.

The head of the largest Sikh organisation Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Gobind Langowal has also come to Pakistan for the first time. Pakistan’s High Commissioner in India Sohail Mahmood also participated in the ceremony while India’s Union Minister Harsimrat represented their External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The 16th-century shrine in Narowal district was where the founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak, breathed his last.  Located four kilometers away on the banks of the River Ravi, the revered shrine is visible from the Indian side.



The Gurudwara was built to commemorate the site where Guru Nanak settled after his missionary work. He assembled a Sikh community there and lived for 18 years until his death in 1539.

The Indian government was in a quandary, displeased with this development but unwilling to alienate the Sikh sentiment. Finally, it accepted the proposal; announcing it would construct the road on its side, and send two ministers to the groundbreaking ceremony by Imran Khan on Pakistan’s side.