The Kartarpur gurdwara is among the holiest sites for Sikhs (File)
Highlights
- PM Modi to inaugurate Kartarpur on November 8: Harsimrat Kaur Badal
- Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will lead an all-party group
- Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also visit the shrine
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kartarpur corridor on November 8, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal tweeted on Saturday. The corridor, which connects Pakistan's Sikh pilgrimage Kartarpur Sahib to Punjab's Gurdaspur, will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims who will just need a permit to visit the shrine.
"With the blessings of Guru Nanak Dev ji, Sikh Panth's ardaas for 'khule darshan deedar' (free access) of Sri Kartarpur Sahib to finally become reality! On November 8th, history will be created with PM Narendra Modi ji inaugurating the Kartarpur Corridor," she tweeted.
The Kartarpur gurdwara is among the holiest sites for Sikhs. It is believed to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak, the first Sikh Guru.
Last month, a Pakistani official had said the Kartarpur corridor will be opened for Indian pilgrims on November 9.
However, on Friday, a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman said the date for the inauguration has not been fixed.
"Work on the Kartarpur corridor will be completed on time as committed by Prime Minister Imran Khan. It will be inaugurated on time, but I can't give any date for its opening as no date has been fixed so far," Mohammad Faisal, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will lead the first jatha - or all-party group - to the shrine on November 9, a state official had said earlier this month. The group will also visit Sultanpur Lodhi for the main celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak on November12.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also visit the shrine with the group, Amarinder Singh had said, adding PM Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind had also accepted the invitation "to be a part of the historic celebrations".
The Punjab Chief Minister had clarified that the group will not attend the launch of the Kartarpur corridor and will only visit the shrine.
Pakistan is constructing the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. India is building the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district up to the border.
Both the countries have agreed that Pakistan will allow 5,000 Sikh visitors per day into the country through the corridor.
With inputs from PTI