PM to open Kartarpur Corridor today

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday flag off the first batch of over 500 Indian pilgrims that will travel to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan’s Punjab province through the Kartarpur Corridor which is being thrown open on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev.

 

The Prime Minister will inaugurate passenger terminal building, also known as Integrated Check Post, where pilgrims will get clearance to travel through the newly-built 4.5 km-long Corridor.

 

The Corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Punjab with Darbar Sahib -- also called Kartarpur Sahib -- the last resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, in Narowal district in Pakistan.

 

Before the inauguration ceremony, Modi will pay obeisance at Ber Sahib Gurudwara at Sultanpur Lodhi, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday. He will later participate in a public programme at Dera Baba Nanak.

 

Pakistan won’t charge service fee from Kartarpur pilgrims on Nov 9 & 12: Qureshi: Pakistan will not charge the service fee of USD 20 from Indian pilgrims visiting the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara on November 9 and 12, Foreign Minister Shah Mohammed Qureshi said on Friday, ending the confusion over the facilitation charges on the two days.

Kartarpur corridor is a ‘corridor of love’ and there is no sinister design in it, he said.