Sikhs urge corridor to Pakistan border shrine

Kartarpur (Punjab), July 3 (ANI): Sikhs organised an 'ardaas' (prayer meeting) here to pray for a safe corridor to the sacred Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

The Sikh community said Pakistan has offered to set up a corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit the sacred Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, which lies only three kilometers from the international border in Punjab.

"I am very grateful to the government of Pakistan, on behalf of the Punjab Government they have announced that they are ready to erect a corridor. Pakistan will provide a safe passage to Pakistan if the Indian Government wants," said Minister for Information and Public Relations Sewa Singh Sekhwan.

"If the Central Government wants, Pakistan will provide a passage to Kartarpur Sahib. On behalf of the Punjab Government, I appeal the Centre to accept this offer. We should accept the gesture with the same feeling," he added.

The Sikh community has been demanding the establishment of a passport and visa-free passage between Dera Baba Nanak on the Indian side and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib shrine located about three kilometres across the border.

"We request the Governments of India and Pakistan that we should be allowed to go there and visit the place. We feel very bad that we see it but cannot go there and touch it. We should be given a passage as soon as possible so that we can go there and take the blessings of our guru," said Rajinder Singh, a devotee.

According to Sikh history, Guru Nanak, the first spiritual leader of the community, spent 17 years at the site where Gurdwara Kartarpur is situated. (ANI)