Pakistan to reopen Kartarpur Corridor on June 29, says Qureshi

Pakistan on Saturday made the decision to reopen Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims on June 29, 2020, on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took to microblogging website Twitter to make the announcement.

The minister underscored that Pakistan is conveying to the Indian side its readiness to reopen the corridor.

As places of worship open up across the world, Pakistan prepares to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for all Sikh pilgrims, conveying to the Indian side our readiness to reopen the corridor on 29 June 2020, the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.

Earlier the corridor was temporarily closed on March 16 due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases.

To ensure that necessary precautions are taken, Pakistan has invited India to discuss standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the reopening.

The Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The opening of the Corridor on the eve of the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak fulfilled the long awaited desire of Sikh devotees of the international community.

A statement by the Foreign Office said the Kartarpur Corridor is a symbol of peace and religious harmony.

This initiative by the government has been appreciated by the Sikh community across the globe. The first Guru of Sikhism, Baba Guru Nanak Saheb, had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur.