Pakistan yesterday shared a draft agreement on opening of Kartarpur Corridor with India and also invited New Delhi to urgently send a delegation to Islamabad to finalise the agreement.
"In line with Prime Minister Imran Khan's commitment to open Kartarpur Corridor on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in November 2019, the government of Pakistan has shared the draft agreement between government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the government of the Republic of India for facilitation of (Indian) Sikh Yatrees to visit the Gurudwara, Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal, Pakistan, with the government of India through the Indian High Commission in Islamabad," the Foreign Office said in a statement. It stated that the government of Pakistan has appointed Director-General South Asia and SAARC, Dr Mohammad Faisal as the focal person on Pakistan's side and requested that the government of India designate a focal person on its end.
"The government of Pakistan also invited the government of India to urgently send a delegation to Islamabad to negotiate and finalise the Agreement," it stated.
Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor on November 28, 2018.
"Pakistan took this step to accommodate the longstanding request of the Sikh community, especially from India particularly in view of 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak," the statement noted, adding that this was in line with Islamic principles that advocate respect for all religions and Pakistan's policy of promoting inter-faith harmony and religious tolerance and also in line with Quaid's vision of a peaceful neighbourhood.
It stated that Pakistan would continue with its efforts to bring peace and stability in the region.
On the other hand, Indian Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu laid the digital foundation stone of the project on the Indian side on November 26, 2018 and the New Delhi is yet to officially respond to the draft agreement and the invitation to send its delegation to Islamabad to finalise the draft. Both Pakistani and Indian governments have launched work on their sections of the corridor which is scheduled to be opened on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in November.
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