Indian politicians are planning to visit Pakistan on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sikhism founder, Baba Guru Nanak. Among the visitors will be PM Khan’s friend Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu will be making his second visit to the country.
The development comes following the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor for the birth anniversary celebration of Baba Guru Nanak by Pakistan. The gesture was followed by India as it announced that it will also open the corridor from its side. The Indian government has restricted travel through the corridor since March 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district.
It must be noted that Pakistan has been urging India to reopen the corridor so the pilgrims can be facilitated but India kept citing the pandemic and kept delaying the move. Furthermore, many Indian politicians have also pressed the Modi government to reopen the corridor. India reopened the corridor two days ago.
Sikh pilgrims from India started arriving in Pakistan as soon as the corridor reopened. So far, nearly 2500 Sikhs have arrived for the occasion. As per reports, Indian politicians are also scheduled to visit Pakistan to honor Baba Guru Nanak.
Indian Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, along with his ministers, and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu will also be a part of the first delegation to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.
Indian Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Om Prakash Soni will be visiting Pakistan too. The delegation will also have Rajasthan Cabinet Minister Harish Chaudhry along with eight members of the Indian Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Friendly ties with Navjot Sidhu were established when PM Khan in 2019, formally inaugurated Kartarpur Corridor at a flamboyant ceremony as part of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, making way for Indian Sikh pilgrims to travel to one of their holiest sites in Pakistan without requiring a visa.
Following Pakistan’s Kartarpur initiative, Navjot Sidhu appreciated PM Khan for making things easier for the Sikh community.
Sidhu not only openly praised PM Khan but also credited him for single-handedly opening the Sikh pilgrimage route. Navjot Sidhu and PM Khan have shared a special bond since then. Furthermore, a heartwarming video of PM Khan asking for the whereabouts of Sidhu also went viral.
