UK Sikhs offer £500m to Pak, intel groups on alert

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 12

The Sikh community in London along with the Peter Virdee Foundation has committed an investment of up to £500 million for the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan in a meeting with Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, Chairman of the Pakistan Tourism Board and Special Assistant to Prime MinisterImran Khan, in London on June 10.

As per a press release of the Sikh Federation and news reports besides inputs gathered by intelligence agencies, India is keenly watching the developments amid concerns of money landing in ‘wrong’ hands. No group or foundation outside the country has so far offered investment in the project in the Indian territory. Indian security agencies have been on tenterhooks on developments regarding the project and people or organisations taking part in it.

Sikh Federation press secretary Gurjeet Singh said the Sikhs based in the UK along with the Peter Virdee Foundation organised a meeting at a hotel in London on June 10to discuss religious tourism projects in Pakistan following the historic laying of foundation stones for the corridor on either side of the border in November 2018.

He said the Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha), London, supported by the Peter Virdee Foundation organised the event where several significant announcements were made by Sayed Bukhari. “Many of the Sikhs congratulated the Pakistan government for the stand taken regarding not only the establishment of the corridor, but also other measures being taken for the 550th Gurpurb of Guru Nanak,” he said.

Sayed Bukhari announced that he would ensure the establishment of tourism desks in Pakistani embassies and dedicated staff to facilitate visas for those taking part in yatras there later this year.

He also made a specific commitment on connectivity whereby high-standard free buses would connect all the main gurdwaras in Pakistan. “The Peter Virdee Foundation and other traders are prepared to inject £500 million.”