LAHORE: Pakistan has opened Kartarpur Corridor after three-and-a-half months to commemorate the death anniversary of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
According to Punjab’s Evacuee Trust Property Board, the corridor was closed in March and the board said that it has been reopened on the request of the Sikh community on Monday.
Earlier, Pakistan had announced to open the Kartarpur corridor on June 29 and India was also informed about the development but the Indan government had refused to open the corridor for its pilgrims due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Head Granthi Darbar Kartarpur, Sardar Gobind Singh said the death anniversary rituals of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Darbar Baba Guru Nanak Kartarpur were held on Monday. However, due to the lockdown, the entry to Kartarpur Gurdwara has been closed.
Gobind Singh further said that the entire Sikh nation is vastly happy with the reopening of the corridor after nearly four months of closure. He said that the opening of Corridor was a good step and appreciated the facilities being provided to Sikh pilgrims there.
He said that Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including Pakistan, would participate in a prayer ceremony on the occasion while the Indian government should also permit Sikh pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9 last year but the corridor was closed after the outbreak of the COVID-19.
Earlier in April, Pakistan had closed the Kartarpur Corridor along with its entire western border with India and other nations to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.
On the other hand, citing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, the Indian government also closed the visa-free passage, known as the Kartarpur corridor that allows members of the Sikh community to visit the shrine of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak.
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