Page 13 - Pakistan Link - November 15, 2019

PAKISTAN NOVEMBER 15, 2019 – PAKISTAN LINK – P13
‘This Is the Beginning’: PM Imran Inaugurates Kartarpur Corridor on Historic Day

Kartarpur: Prime Minister Imran “If Modi is listening, [he should pur Corridor is “the biggest message of prime minister has identified 400 tem- groundbreaking of the visa-free cor-
Khan formally inaugurated the Kartar- know that] justice brings peace and in- peace and love” since Partition. ples in the country to be renovated. ridor last year. Since then, the govern-
pur Corridor at a colorful ceremony on justice spreads confusion. “Imran Khan, the promise you had ment has employed hundreds of labor-
Saturday, paving the way for Indian Sikh “Let’s rid ourselves of this prob- made to the millions of Sikhs has been Manmohan leads Sikhs delega- ers to spruce up the shrine, including
pilgrims to visit one of their religion’s lem,” he told Modi, referring to the fulfilled. And I congratulate Sardar Nav- tion building a border immigration check-
holiest sites in Pakistan without a visa. Kashmir dispute. “So we can live like jot Singh as it was you who brought this Sikhs from across the border start- point and a bridge, as well as expanding
“First of all, I congratulate the Sikh humans. idea to the prime minister. ed arriving in Pakistan on Saturday to the site’s grounds. After tough negotia-
community on the 550th birth anniver- “Imagine the happiness that will “Baba Guru Nanak spent the last make a historic pilgrimage to the shrine tions between Islamabad and New Del-
sary of Baba Guru Nanak and welcome spread and how we will be able to pull days of his life here. He spent his life of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of hi, Pakistan and India had finally signed
you all,” the premier said at the start of people out of poverty. bringing people together and spreading Sikhism, which is located in Kartarpur, an agreement regarding the project last
his address, paying tribute to the gov- “I have hope that this is the begin- the message of love. as Islamabad and New Delhi made his- month.
ernment team for completing the Kar- ning. One day our relations with India “In his last days here he continued tory by opening the Kartarpur Corridor. Ahead of the opening, the prime
tarpur project in a matter of months. will be such that would have been had to spread the message of oneness, truth, Prime Minister Imran arrived at minister also announced special waiv-
“I salute you all. I had no idea you the issue of Kashmir been resolved in peace. His teachings carry the lessons of the corridor inauguration ceremony us- ers in order to facilitate Indian pilgrims.
were so efficient. That means we can do the beginning (at Partition). humanity and its well-being. ing the shuttle service used by pilgrims, Pilgrims who arrive from India will no
so much more,” he told the government “I also foresee a day when the ha- “He spent six years in Baghdad and according to state broadcaster PTV. longer need a passport to cross over into
officials. tred that has spread in the sub-conti- while there every morning he would The premier was accompanied by Pakistan as long as they have a valid
“I am always so happy to see the nent over the past 70 years due to this visit the shrines of Imam Moosa Kadim Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, identity.
Sikh community who have come here. dispute [will be no more]. and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. This was Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Foreign The premier had also announced
God lives in the hearts of all of us. All “When this problem is solved and his message of love which was a unify- Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Min- that he had directed that the condition
the messengers who have come and Kashmiris get their rights, the sub-con- ing force of harmony between religions. ister for Religious Affairs Pir Noorul for pilgrims to register 10 days before
gone only brought two messages, that of tinent will see prosperity and our entire “This project was the prime min- Haq Qadri and other officials. their arrival at the Kartarpur shrine be
peace and justice. region will rise in the world, and I pray ister’s personal interest and his com- Former Indian prime minister waived.
“These two things distinguish us that day is not far,” he concluded. mitment,” he said, adding that he prays Manmohan Singh led the first delega- Furthermore, the pilgrims who
from the animal kingdom,” he said. Prime Minister Imran will be rewarded tion of Sikh pilgrims as they crossed arrive on the day of the Kartarpur
Prime Minister Imran noted that ‘You’ve won hearts’ by God for winning people’s hearts. into Pakistan through the Kartarpur Corridor’s opening and on Baba Guru
the lessons that can be drawn from Guru Former Indian cricketer-turned- Corridor. Indian Punjab’s Chief Minis- Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary will not
Nanak’s teachings are about bringing politician Navjot Singh Sidhu earlier ad- ‘Doors of Kartarpur Sahib have ter Amarinder Singh was also part of the be charged any fee to visit.
people together and not to spread hate. dressed the ceremony, thanking Prime been opened’ jatha (caravan). Up to 5,000 Indian Sikhs have
“I am happy we could do this for Minister Imran for taking the bold step Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah “I hope India and Pakistan rela- been allowed access daily, with plans to
you,” he told the hundreds of Sikh pil- to build the Kartarpur Corridor “with- Mehmood Qureshi in his address gave tions improve enormously as a result of eventually double the capacity.
grims. “Believe me, I had no idea of the out looking at gains or losses”. the credit for the “historic” project com- this beginning,” Manmohan told PTV Sikhs from around the world —
importance this place holds; I found out “You have won hearts,” he said ing to fruition to Prime Minister Imran as he walked towards the Pakistan side, including some from India who entered
a year ago.” while addressing the premier. and the government team. terming the occasion a “big moment”. from the main border crossing at Wagah
He said the inability of Sikhs in the Further heaping praise on Prime “The doors of Kartarpur Sahib The Indian Punjab chief minister after obtaining visas — have been arriv-
past to visit the Kartarpur shrine was Minister Imran, he said: “There are have been opened for you,” the foreign said they were all happy because it had ing in Pakistan ahead of the celebrations
akin to Muslims being able to see Ma- people who are swept away by the tides minister said while addressing members been a desire of Sikhs to visit their reli- for several days
dina from a distance but not be able to of time, even the mountains bow to the of the Sikh community across the world. gious sites in Pakistan for 70 years.
go near it. tides of time, man is left spinning as it He said the message of Sikhism “This is a beginning, I hope it’s Tantalizingly close
“That is why I am happy to see you whirls by, but then there are those like founder Guru Nanak Dev was one of going to continue and many more gurd- For up to 30 million Sikhs around
so happy and the way your hearts have Imran Khan who stand the test of time peace and love, but that it needed to be waras are going to be allowed,” he re- the world, Kartarpur is one of their ho-
nothing but prayers for us.” and create history. reflected upon who is today “sowing the marked. liest places. When Pakistan was carved
Citing the examples of Prophet “No benefit or loss was weighed. seeds of hate” in the subcontinent. Besides Sidhu, Bollywood actor- out of colonial India at independence
Muhammad (PBUH), Nelson Mandela No deals were considered. My faithful “If the Berlin Wall can be demol- turned-politician Sunny Deol also at- from Britain in 1947, Kartarpur ended
and Sufi saints, the prime minister said friend (PM Imran) did this for the love ished, if the Kartarpur Corridor can be tended the opening ceremony. up on the western side of the border
a true leader is one who always brings of God. opened, then the temporary bound- Foreign diplomats, accompanied — though most of the region’s Sikhs re-
people together and does not spread “What will you gain from killing in ary of the Line of Control can also be by Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mo- mained on the other side.
hate in order to gain votes. a war? If you want to win someone over, ended,” Qureshi said, adding that the hammad Faisal and Foreign Secretary For them, it is tantalizingly close
He continued: “The first thing I do so by generosity. The enemy can nei- promise of granting the right of self- Sohail Mahmood, were also in atten- — just four kilometers inside Pakistan,
did after becoming the prime minister ther die from loss that way nor be able to determination to the people of occupied dance. so near that Indian Sikhs have been
was to tell [Indian Prime Minister Nar- hold his head high after being struck by Kashmir can also be fulfilled. Before seeing off the first group of known to stand on the other side and
endra] Modi that poverty is our mutual such generosity. He asked Indian Prime Minis- pilgrims, Indian Prime Minister Nar- simply gaze across the divide at the site.
problem, and the way to deal with it is “This Sikh community is going to ter Modi, who had earlier in the day endra Modi addressed members of the But decades of enmity between
to open our borders to people and trade. take you farther than you can fathom,” thanked Prime Minister Imran, whether Sikh community and hailed the opening India and Pakistan has left extreme re-
“I met Manmohan Singh during he said, addressing the prime minister. he will also give his Pakistani counter- of the corridor. strictions on their ability to visit.
a conference and I remember when he “We will become your mouthpiece. part the chance to thank him. “I also thank Pakistan’s Prime “This land is sacred for them,”
was the PM he had said that ‘the entire “Four generations of Sikhs were “You can do so,” he told Modi, “by Minister Imran Khan for understanding Habib Khan, the 63-year-old imam of a
South Asia can rise if we solve Kashmir’. deprived; for the first time a govern- lifting the curfew in occupied Kashmir, India’s wishes and turning Kartarpur small mosque just outside the gurdwara,
And that’s what I told Modi. ment has [opened access to Kartarpur] ending the use of pellet guns, ending the into reality,” Modi said in his speech. told AFP on Friday.
“But I am sad to say that Kashmir for 140 million Sikhs. Alexander won violations of human rights [and] ending He also thanked the labor force in both Vans of pilgrims could be seen
has gone beyond a territorial issue. This the world through fear and terror. Im- the communication blackout”. countries for completing the construc- travelling through Kartarpur on Friday.
is an issue of humanity, not a territorial ran Khan you are the Alexander who He expressed the wish that Modi tion in such a short time. The Indian flag could be seen fly-
dispute. has won the world’s hearts and you rule will open the Srinagar Jamia Mosque for The Indian premier said that Baba ing across the border, just beyond fields
“The way they [Kashmiris] are be- them all.” Kashmiri Muslims the way the Kartar- Guru Nanak was not just a revered fig- dotted with eucalyptus and guava trees
ing kept like animals. Their rights have Minister for Religious Affairs Pir pur Gurdwara was opened for the Sikh ure for Sikhs but for the entire human- — though it was half obscured by the
been snatched away which the UNSC Noorul Haq Qadri in his speech said the community by Pakistan. ity. heavy smog that has blanketed large
gave them. ceremony and the opening of the Karta- The minister announced that the The premier had performed the swathes of South Asia in recent days.
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