Pak army chief says flood-hit Sikh religious sites, including Kartarpur, to be restored fully

Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Friday said Sikh religious sites, including Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, hit by the massive floods would be restored to their original shape.

Field Marshal Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), visited flood-affected areas of Punjab province, including Sialkot sector, Shakargarh, Narowal and Kartarpur, to review the flood situation and the ongoing rescue and relief efforts, according to a statement by the army.

Pakistan's largest province, Punjab, has been reeling under severe floods for almost a week. As of Friday, at least 22 people have died over the last 24 hours and at least 1,700 villages across the province, including the Sikh sacred site of Kartarpur, were inundated.

The COAS was given a comprehensive brief on the prevailing situation and the preparations in view of the next spell of rains.

Munir interacted with the affected Sikh community of the area and “assured them that all religious sites, including Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, affected during floods will be completely revived to their original condition on priority,” the statement said.

The Sikh community welcomed the COAS at the Sialkot sector and thanked him for the services being extended by the civil administration and the Army during the calamity.

Pakistan opened the Kartarpur Corridor in November 2019.

Around 4.1 kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, the corridor links Pakistan's Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, where Guru Nanak lived and died at the start of the 16th century, to Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

The 4 km-long corridor provides visa-free access to Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

Local administration and the army personnel on Wednesday rescued around 150 officials and Sikh pilgrims stranded after floodwaters from the Ravi submerged the entire complex of the Kartarpur corridor, including the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.