Islamabad :
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has welcomed India’s decision to open the Kartarpur Corridor and said that India should create a similar environment in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Talking to reporters, he said that opening of Kartarpur corridor is a good development.
He said that Pakistan had closed the Kartarpur corridor for only three months due to the Corona virus epidemic but India had imposed a curfew on the Kartarpur corridor for the last 20 months.
He said that there was immense pressure from the Sikh community in India and around the world on the BJP government to open the corridor and finally India has accepted their demand. Will come to visit their holy places.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that on behalf of the government of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, I welcome the Sikh pilgrims. We are happy that we have opened this path for the promotion of inter-faith harmony.
Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that all minorities in Pakistan have complete freedom to live according to their religion.
He hoped that India would also reconsider its attitude and create a conducive environment in occupied Jammu and Kashmir so that people could go to mosques for Friday and Eid prayers.
It may be recalled that India yesterday allowed thousands of Sikh pilgrims to open the border to Pakistan before the celebrations on Baba Guru Nanak’s birthday.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that the Kartarpur corridor would be reopened from Wednesday in view of the celebrations marking Baba Guru Nanak’s birthday on Friday.
In his statement on Twitter, he had said that “a large number of Sikh pilgrims will benefit from this important decision. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that the Kartarpur Sahib corridor will be opened from tomorrow.”
“I am sure that the government’s decision to open the Kartarpur Sahib corridor will bring more joy and celebration across the country,” he said.
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued visas to about 3,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims to attend Guru Nanak’s 552nd birthday celebrations in Pakistan from November 17 to 26.
