Speaking at the opening ceremony Khan lauded Sidhu for his oratory skills saying he couldnt comprehend why was the latter criticised heavily upon his return to India from Pakistan three months ago. Khan, in a lighter vein, said Sidhu had the potential to win elections in the Punjab region there if he contests.
"I am hoping that we don't have to wait until Sidhu becomes prime minister for there to be peace between India and Pakistan," he said.
Khan said the happiness he saw today was like of those Muslims who are standing 4 km away from Medina on other side of the border, but are unable to visit it but when they get chance to visit it, the happiness they get is the happiness they are relishing today.
The cricketer-turned-politician said he wants to have a civilised relationship with India.
"Whenever I went to India, people would tell me the Pakistan army was not interested in peace... I am telling you that our party, other political parties, our army - we are all on the same page and we want to move ahead with India. We want to have a civilised relationship with India," Khan said.
Khan said the intention between the two countries must be clear to solve the Kashmir issue. "The only issue between us is Kashmir, all it needs is just two capable leaderships to resolve this issue. Just imagine the potential we have if our relationships get strong."
Khan cited example of France and Germany who discarded hostility and eventually improved ties. "Both countries have made mistakes. We need to stop this blame game. If France & Germany can unite and move forward why can't India & Pakistan."
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Targeting war-mongers, Khan said "it is maddening to think of a war between two nuclear-armed countries. If they attack each other then both would be wiped out."
The much-awaited corridor linking Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district when completed will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims. Khan said his country would provide all necessary facilities to Sikh pilgrims so that their pilgrimage is taken place smoothly.
Sidhu was invited by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to attend ground breaking ceremony of the proposed corridor today. He arrived in Lahore this morning with a group of Indian journalists to attend the ceremony. He lauded Indian government and Pakistan PM Imran Khan for launching Kartarpur Corridor at the inaugural speech. Sidhu said "it was wrong to see religion through the lens of terror."
"Both the governments should realise that we have to move forward. My father used to tell me that Punjab Mail went till Lahore, I believe that it can go further till Peshawar, till Afghanistan," Sidhu added.
Harsimrat Kaur, who spoke at the event, said "Visiting the holy shrine is a dream come true for many of us. Today is a proud moment of crores of Sikhs living across the world." Kaur heaped praise on PM Narendra Modi for taking initiatives to build the corridor. "If the Berlin Wall could fall, the Kartarpur Corridor could also act as a bridge between the people of India and Pakistan under the name of Baba Nanak."
Significance of Kartarpur Sahib Corrdior: The Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan is the final resting peace of the founder of the Sikh faith Guru Nanak. The corridor will facilitate a visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims. The development comes ahead of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary next year. Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan is located across the river Ravi, about four kilometres from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine. It was established by the Sikh Guru in 1522. The first Gurdwara, Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, was built here, where Guru Nanak Dev is said to have died.
Sidhu’s diplomacy: After cricketer-turned –politician Imran Khan was elected as the Prime Minister of the country, Navjot Singh Sidhu went to Pakistan to attend his oath-taking ceremony. After his return, Sidhu said that Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had told him that Pakistan may open a corridor to Kartarpur Sahib.
The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place. The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today declared there will be no dialogue with
Pakistan unless it desists from terrorist activities against India. Pakistan on Tuesday said it would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SAARC summit. She also said the Kartarpur corridor initiative was not linked to the dialogue process with Pakistan.