'Unwarranted & Gratuitous': Pakistan Rejects Amit Shah's Comments On Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara's Location

The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, where Sri Guru Nanak Dev lived and died at the start of the 16th century, to the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

File Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Pakistan's Foreign Office on Friday rejected the remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning the Partition and the location of the revered Kartarpur Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.

It termed Amit Shah's statement as unwarranted and gratuitous, news agency PTI reported.

In a statement, the Foreign Office mentioned that Pakistan reiterated its serious concern over the BJP leadership's increasing tendency of dragging Pakistan into its domestic affairs.

"Pakistan categorically rejects the unwarranted and gratuitous remarks made by Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, during a recent event, questioning the Partition and location of Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan," the statement read, as quoted by PTI.

It is deeply regrettable that distortion of historical facts has become the hallmark of the BJP government along with its ideological fountainhead RSS, the Foreign Office wrote.

Pakistan's response comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the opening of the Kartarpur corridor in 2019 while claiming there was an "error" in the place being left out of India during Partition.

"When the partition took place, there was an error. It (Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara) is just 6 km away (from the border with Pakistan). I don't know how it was left out. There might be some shortcomings. Perhaps no one has noticed it (at that time)," he said, as quoted by PTI.

"There was some regret during Gurpurab. But the Kartarpur corridor has given an opportunity to the people to visit the shrine and pay obeisance. People are thankful to the authority for this and appreciated it," the Union Home Minister added.

Founder of Sikhism Sri Guru Nanak Dev had spent last the 18 years of his life at Kartarpur which is in the Narowal district of Pakistan.

In its statement, the Foreign Office mentioned it was Pakistan that had brought to fruition the idea of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Corridor and completed the project in record time as a gift to the Sikh community in India and worldwide.

The Kartarpur Corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, where Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev lived and died at the start of the 16th century, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. The 4 km-long corridor provides visa-free access to Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

In November 2019, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had formally inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor as part of the commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak at a colourful ceremony, paving the way for Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit one of their religion's holiest sites in Pakistan without needing a visa.

(With Agency Inputs)