Pakistan to invite Manmohan Singh for Kartarpur corridor inauguration

Islamabad, Sep 30: Pakistan government has decided to invite Manmohan Singh for the inauguration of Kartarpur corridor.

"We would like to extend an invitation to former Indian PM Manmohan Singh for the inauguration function of Kartarpur Corridor. He also represents the Sikh community. We will also send him a formal invitation," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday.

Kartarpur Corridor is slated to be inaugurated on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in November.

The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims.

Two weeks ago, Pakistan said that it would open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims on November 9, three days before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, PTI reported.

Project Director Atif Majid, addressing journalists, said that 86 per cent of the work on the corridor had been done so far and it would be completed by October.

Talking about the facilities, Majid said, "About 76 immigration counters have been set up to cater to 5,000 Sikh pilgrims from India every day." He also said the number of counters would be increased later as the pilgrim count was expected to touch 10,000.