Islamabad: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Sunday announced that the construction work of the Kartarpur Corridor project had entered its final stage, a news source reported. Further, he expressed his hope that the initiative would attract Sikh pilgrims from all over the world to partake in their religious practices at the site.
He expressed his views on the matter in a Facebook post where he posted pictures of the construction work underway at the project site. He said that Kartarpur would become the world’s largest Gurdwara site, and would serve as a major religious hub for the Sikh community.
The project is slated for inauguration on November 9; three days prior to the commencement of Babu Guru Nanak’s 550th birthday celebrations – scheduled to begin on November 12.
The PM said that the project would boost the local economy and create employment opportunities in the travel and hospitality industries. He said that religious tourism activities were undergoing continuous development and promotion in Pakistan; referring to the recent visit of several Buddhist monks in the country.
As per reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the corridor’s integrated checkpoint on November 8. Former Indian PM Manmohan Singh is also expected to be among the attendees of the religious gatherings planned to take place at the Pakistani section of the project site.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi recently revealed that Manmohan Singh had ‘graciously accepted’ Islamabad’s invitation to attend the corridor inauguration ceremony. He added that the former Indian premier had expressed his wishes to be ‘treated as a common pilgrim and not a special guest’.
The Indian government was responsible to develop the corridor section from the Gurdaspur district to the Wagah Border, while Pakistan took the initiative to complete the site till the Narowal district. For attending the religious practices, the pilgrims are required to obtain a travel permit.
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