India on Tuesday announced its decision to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor with Pakistan from November 17 and said the decision will benefit the Sikh community. 

In a tweet Home Minister, Amit Shah said, “In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM @Narendramodi govt has decided to re-open the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from tomorrow, Nov 17.

“This decision reflects the immense reverence of Modi govt towards Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and our Sikh community."

In November 2019, India and Pakistan threw open the Kartarpur corridor linking Dera Baba Sahib in Gurdaspur in India with the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, in a historic “people-to-people initiative”. Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the river Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.

It is the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev, who had spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur.

On Tuesday, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged the Prime Minister to open the Kartarpur Corridor before November 19, so that pilgrims can pay obeisance at the holy shrine on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

The corridor, which was inaugurated in 2019, was shut down due to Covid-19 pandemic. Amid the fall in number of Covid-19 cases, the decision to reopen the corridor has been taken.

During the weekly media briefing held last Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “A limited movement was happening via the Wagah-Attari border. Both countries are following the protocols.

“Given the importance of Gurupurab and keeping religious sentiments in mind, we have decided that a jatha of around 1,500 pilgrims will be going via Wagah ICP between November 17-26, to Pakistan."

This visit will be covered under the 1974 bilateral protocol between India and Pakistan on visits to religious shrines, he added.

The pilgrims are scheduled to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib, Gurudwara Panja Sahib, Gurudwara Dehra Sahib, Gurudwara Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Sachha Sauda in Pakistan from 17th to 26th of November.(SAM)