The online registration of pilgrims visiting Kartarpur Sahib Corridor has been put on halt on Sunday. The decision was taken as India and Pakistan have not agreed upon issues including Pakistan persistent demand of charging USD 20 from each pilgrim.
The proposed corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Guru Nanak Dev.
Qureshi told reporters in his home town Multan on Saturday that Singh has accepted his invitation and would attend the scheduled opening as a common man rather than as a special guest, Dawn newspaper reported.
India on Thursday asked Pakistan not to insist on levying a fee of USD 20 per Indian pilgrim and hoped that an agreement to operationalise the Kartarpur corridor will be inked soon between the two countries.
The first batch of devotees will leave for Pakistan in the first week of November by a special train. The pilgrims will proceed to the Wagah railway station from the Atari railway station and then start their journey to the Nankana Sahib.
Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday said that PM Modi will inaugurate Kartarpur Corridor on November 8, at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur.
Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Saturday condemned Islamabad's insistence to charge a service fee of USD 20 from pilgrims to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara and compared it with 'jaziya'.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday ruled out a visit to Pakistan for the Kartarpur corridor opening, making it clear that he would be only leading the first all-party 'jatha' (religious group) to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara to pay obeisance.
On September 30, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said Islamabad would like to invite Dr. Manmohan Singh for the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor.
However, a visa will not be required. But the visitors need to get them themselves registered online at least a month ahead of their visit.
Senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi on Monday suggested that an all-party delegation constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Manmohan Singh as the head could be sent for the inaugural ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor after Pakistan decided to invite the former PM for the event.
Meanwhile, sources have told India TV that Dr Manmohan Singh's office has not received an invitation from Pakistan.
"We would like to extend an invitation to former Indian PM Manmohan Singh for the inauguration function of Kartarpur Corridor. He also represents the Sikh community. We will also send him a formal invitation," News agency ANI quoted Mehmood Qureshi as saying.
A delegation of Sikhs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Saturday and thanked him for going ahead with the Kartarpur corridor, saying they were proud of him and fully backed him.
He demanded the immediate withdrawal of the proposal by Pakistan.
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor: In what can be great news for lakh of Sikh pilgrims wanting to visit the holy Kartarpur Saheb Gurudwara in Pakistan, the Indian government today said that the long-awaited Kartarpur Sahib Corridor will be operational on November 11, 2019.
After the Imran Khan government proposed that they will put service charge of $20 for Kartarpur Pilgrim, the leaders from United Akali Dal and Khalistan Commando Force argued that this step is unacceptable on Saturday.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that India had gone for the third round of high level talks last week with an "open mind" to resolve all issues.
Pakistan's demand of charging 20 USD on the entry of pilgrims as service charge has been rejected by the Indian government. Speaking on Pakistan's demand, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar on Thursday said that Pakistan's proposal to charge an entry fee of $ 20 per Indian Sikh pilgrim has been turned down by the government.
A decision was taken on Tuesday by the state cabinet, which also resolved to convene a special session of the assembly next month, to commemorate the 550th Prakash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev.
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