Amarinder Singh declines Pakistan’s invitation to Kartarpur Corridor stone-laying ceremony

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has declined Pakistan’s invitation to attend Kartarpur Corridor foundation stone-laying ceremony. According to news agency ANI, CM cited continued terrorist attacks in his state and killing of Indian soldiers by Pakistan armed foces as the reason for declining the invitation. The ceremony is scheduled to be held on November 28.

In a letter to Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Amarinder Singh said, “Everyday Indian soldiers are killed or wounded on the LoC in J&K. Rather than moving towards normalcy, these incidents are escalating.”

He however, welcomed the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the corridor.

CM evoked the recent Amritsar grenade attack in which three were killed and 19 injured.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday (November 22) had decided to develop the corridor from Gurdaspur in Punjab to the International Border (IB) to facilitate the passage of pilgrims to the Kartarpur Sahib gurudwara in Pakistan as part of the 550th birth annversary celebrations of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, next year.

However, the Centre clarified that India’s decision was not in response to any proposal from Pakistan.

The resolution was passed after many weeks of internal consultations and preparations within the government.

On November 23, Pakistan government also gave its nod to the opening of Kartarpur corridor next year.

The gurdwara is significant for the Sikh community since Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years of his life in Kartarpur till he died in 1539.

It is located around 2 km from the IB between both countries and can be seen from the Indian side.

Published on : Nov 25, 2018 at 13:47 IST

By EP Web Desk

(With Inputs From IANS)