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| Sidhu lauds Pakistan for opening its Kartarpur corridor to Sikh pilgrims |
Former Indian-cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday commended Pakistan for announcing a visa-free hall pass to the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India.“They (Pakistan) are ready to open the corridor of Kartarpur Sahib on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Ji. There can be no bigger happiness than this for the people of Punjab,” said Sidhu.Speaking to his local media, the Indian Punjab minister contended that this "is not the time for religion-based politics" and urged the central government to reciprocate on the matter. "I plead to the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Ministry that if they have made an effort, you should also make an effort”."This is the message from Pakistan to the whole world. Don't think that anyone can oppose this noble gesture," Sidhu asserted.Guru Nanak was one of the ten Sikh gurus, who migrated and settled across the border and his shrine now rests 120 km from Lahore. Millions of Sikh devotees desired access to the border-apart corridor to offer pilgrimage.Earlier, Sidhu faced frequent criticism from the BJP and Congress leaders- including Indian Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, for attending the oath-taking ceremony of Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan and hugging the Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.Responding to the outburst, he clarified that his visit was not intended for politics but to celebrate the success of his cricketer friend, to which he extended that the hug was an "emotional" moment as General Bajwa had told him about their efforts to open the corridor from India's Dera Baba Nanak to the Sikh shrine of Kartarpur Sahib.Imran, soon after the electoral result expressed that he wanted to fix ties with India. "If you take one step forward, we will take two," he had said.
from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2NYWZO7
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