New Delhi: In wake of the upcoming Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary, Pakistan on Tuesday requested India to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor from its side and allow Sikh pilgrims to pay a visit to the holy site of Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, PTI reported.
On the eve of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor, as per the Foreign Office. However, months after the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, a coronavirus pandemic hit the region thus leading to the closing of the corridor.
Since March 2020, the moment of Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan via corridor has been suspended in view of the pandemic, and later Pakistan put a travel ban from people travelling from India after the surge in the covid-19 cases was reported in April 2021.
"India is yet to open the corridor from its side and allow pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib," a statement of the Foreign Office was quoted by PTI in its report.
Pakistan is looking forward to hosting devotees from India and around the world on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s Birthday celebrations from November 17 to 27, 2021, the Foreign Office said.
"Pakistan expects that India in the spirit of cooperation would allow pilgrims to travel through the corridor to visit Kartarpur Sahib," the statement further reads.
During his visit to Kartarpur Sahib in February 2020, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the Kartarpur Corridor as 'Corridor of Hope.'
(With inputs from PTI)