India stops Sikhs from visiting Kartarpur Gurdwara

Community leaders demand of India to rethink decision

LAHORE:

Pakistan on Monday reopened Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, more than three months after its closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, New Delhi’s obduracy prevented Indian pilgrims from visiting the holy site of Sikhism.

The Kartarpur corridor, which was temporarily closed in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has been reopened on the occasion of the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the 19th Sikh century ruler of Punjab.

Sikh pilgrims from different cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, celebrated the 181st birth anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

The Sikh leaders expressed their gratitude to the government of Pakistan for reopening of the Gurudwara in Kartarpur. They also demanded of India to allow Indian Sikhs to come to Pakistan.

The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib has been reopened with strict standard operating procedures, including maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks and using hand sanitisers, in place in the wake of the pandemic.

The Kartarpur Gurdwara, situated in the Narowal district, is one of the most revered places for the Sikh community as Baba Guru Nanak spent last 18 years of his life there. The distance between Kartarpur and the Indian town of Gurdaspur is merely three kilometres.