Open Kartarpur corridor on Guru Nanak’s Joti Jot Diwas: Pak gurdwara body to Indian govt
ALSO REQUESTS THE SHIROMANI GURDWARA PARBANDHAK COMMITTEE TO SEND SPECIAL JATHAS OF RAGIS (HYMN SINGERS) ON THE OCCASION
AMRITSAR : The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) on Wednesday urged the Indian government to reopen the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh devotees on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s Joti Jot Diwas (day of immersion in eternal light) on September 20.
PSGPC president Satwant Singh said this while presiding over a meeting at the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)’S head office in Lahore to make arrangements for observing Joti Jot Diwas at Kartarpur.
Later, talking to HT over phone, the PSGPC chief said, “We are marking the occasion for the first time after the opening of the corridor at Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib. We want the corridor to be opened from today itself. But if that is not possible, it should be opened on the day. We request the Indian government to allow the passage of Sikh sangat through the corridor to take part in the function being organised from September 20 to 22.”
They also want the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (SGPC), which manages the affairs of gurdwaras in Punjab and other states of India, to send special jathas of ragis (hymn singers) on the occasion, he said.
“We also invite SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal and Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to be part of the function,” he said.
The PSGPC chief said they will also follow the Covid-19 guidelines of the health agencies during the visit of the Sikh sangat through the corridor. Special arrangements will be made for maintaining social distancing, he added.
India temporarily suspended the pilgrimage to the Kartarpur gurdwara on March 16 in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Pakistan had also closed the corridor soon after. On June 29, Pakistan had announced that they have reopened the corridor for the pilgrims from India.
BRIDGE: PAKISTAN TEAM TO VISIT DERA BABA NANAK
A team of engineers from Pakistan will meet the officials of Indian officials at Dera Baba Nanak town of Gurdaspur district on Thursday on the construction of a bridge over a low-lying area at the border as part of the corridor project.
A senior Border Security Force (BSF) official said, “The Pakistan team will survey the Indian side of the bridge before starting construction.” Officials of the National Highway Authority of India, BSF and the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) will be present in the meeting.