No construction to take place 30 acres around Kartarpur Gurdwara, says Pakistan

Islamabad, Mar 21: Pakistan PM Imran Khan agreeing to the Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's proposal for preserving the land around Kartarpur Sahib corridor has decided not to construct any building on 30 acres used by Guru Nanak for farming.

Pakistan information minister Fawad Chaudhry said this decision was taken at a meeting chaired on Tuesday by Prime Minister Imran Khan to review progress in work on the Kartarpur Corridor, which will be opened to Indian pilgrims in November.

According to a The Hindu report, India will also urge Pakistan not to utilise the holy Kartarpur shrine for propaganda about the Khalistan issue. The issue is part of the security concerns that are being considered by the Indian side as paramount for the bilateral talks that will be held in Attari on Thursday.

In a historic decision, India and Pakistan agreed to open up a special border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district.

Kartarpur Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the Ravi river about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, the first Gurdwara, was established by Guru Nanak Dev in 1522, where he is said to have died.

The corridor would facilitate the visit of pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur from the Indian side. The authorities of both countries are currently holding meetings and working out the modalities.

The project will also include a vast facility for the pilgrims on the Indian side which will be ready to host at least 5,000 pilgrims on any given day. It was learnt that India will also prepare for "surge" in pilgrims flow during special, festive seasons. Accordingly, facilities will be created for at least 10,000 more pilgrims on the facilities on the Indian side.