Take up Kartarpur corridor issue with Pak: Capt to Sushma

Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 9

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has urged Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to take up with the government of Pakistan the issue of opening of the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Sri Kartarpur Sahib.

In a letter to Sushma Swaraj, the Chief Minister said Kartarpur Sahib was one of the most revered religious places for Sikhs as Sri Guru Nanak Dev spent a large part of his life there.  

Pointing out that the gurdwara lies around 4 km westwards from Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, on the Pakistan side, he said the Punjab government had, time and again, requested the Union government to take up with issue with Pakistan. 

Referring to the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev, the Chief Minister apprised the External Affairs Minister that the Punjab Vidhan Sabha had passed a unanimous resolution on August 27, seeking uninterrupted opening of corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

The Chief Minister had earlier also requested Sushma Swaraj, through a letter on August 20 to take up the matter with the government of the neighbouring country.

Meanwhile, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, said, “I have to check the contents of the letter. We have taken up the matter of opening up of the border with Pakistan for Sikh pilgrims to go and visit the gurdwara on the other side. We have heard from Pakistan this is something they want to do. But we have not received any official communication from Pakistan that they are keen to work with us on this matter”.