Uncertainty clouds ministers’ Pak visit

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 8

Uncertainty prevails over the scheduled four-day visit of a three-member delegation of Punjab Cabinet Ministers to Pakistan to oversee the progress of work on the Kartarpur Sahib corridor.

Cabinet Ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa, OP Soni and Charanjit Channi along with some MLAs are scheduled to visit Pakistan between August 22 and 27.

Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa, who has been appointed by Capt Amarinder Singh to lead the delegation, said approval from the Centre had already come.

But in the wake of recent developments as a fallout of Parliament approving reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir which led to Pakistan suspending bilateral trade with India, the Punjab ministers are keeping their fingers crossed.

Randhawa said in the wake of reports of Pakistan stating that the stand-off would not affect the pace of work on the corridor, they were hopeful of being allowed to visit Pakistan by road.

Randhawa said he would visit Dera Baba Nanak tomorrow to review the progress of work on the Indian side along the border.

As per the arrangements, three tent cities across 350 acres will be set up in Kapurthala, Lohian and another spot on the way to Amritsar for accommodation of people who will visit Sultanpur Lodhi in November to pay obeisance. In total, various projects will be set up on 979 acres for the celebrations which will see over 30 to 35 lakh devotees from across the world. The Kapurthala district administration has acquired land from as many as 200 farmers who have been compensated to the tune of Rs 48,000 per acre.