Despite rising tensions, Pakistan is ready to open the Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims visiting Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in connection with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, said Firdous Ashiq Awan, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, on Saturday.
Rejecting the rumours of Pakistan having stalled work on the Kartarpur Corridor, Firdous said while addressing a press conference that the corridor will be inaugurated in November, as per the schedule terms of reference (ToRs) finalised with India. She added that Nankana Sahib and other cities in Pakistan were sacred for the Sikhs like the Mecca and Madina for the Muslims.
Her statement comes a week after Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that despite the ongoing tensions with India, Islamabad was committed to open the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from November.
Tensions between the countries escalated after the Indian government's move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposed corridor will allow Sikhs to visit the shrine, located only a few km from the border, without a visa.
Last month, a special Jatha of over 500 Indian Sikh pilgrims was given visas by Pakistan to visit Nankana Sahib for kick-starting the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, who spent his final days there.
