SGPC chief urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reopen Kartarpur Corridor

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to immediately reopen the Kartarpur Corridor to facilitate pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

In his letter, Dhami said Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib holds immense religious significance as it is the place where Guru Nanak Dev preached the principles of Kirat Karo, Naam Japo and Vand Chhako, besides spreading the message of communal harmony and the welfare of all. He said Sikh devotees across the world have deep emotional ties with the shrine and long to pay obeisance there.

Recalling the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor in November 2019 during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, Dhami said it fulfilled a long-standing aspiration of the Sikh community, enabling lakhs of pilgrims to visit the historic shrine. However, he said the suspension of movement through the corridor due to security concerns between India and Pakistan had caused deep disappointment and anguish among Sikhs worldwide.

The SGPC chief noted that the demand to reopen the corridor was not new, stating that the SGPC had repeatedly passed resolutions and submitted memoranda to the Centre, including to the Punjab Governor and the Home Minister, seeking restoration of the pilgrimage route.

He urged the Prime Minister to accord priority to the issue in view of the shrine’s unique significance in Sikhism and direct the ministries concerned to initiate the necessary diplomatic and administrative steps for the immediate reopening of the corridor.