Former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh after a visit to Kartarpur Corridor: It was a good beginning, India-Pakistan relations are subject to many buts and ifs, I hope this is a good beginning to normalise our relation.
Former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu addressed the inaugural ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan. He thanked PM Narendra Modi and his Pakistani Counterpart Imran Khan for opening the corridor. He said, "I am thanking Modi ji also, it doesn't matter if we have political differences,doesn't matter if my life is dedicated to Gandhi family, I am sending a Munnabhai MBBS style hug to you Modi sahab for this."
Pakistan PM Imran Khan reaches the venue to inaugurate the other side of the Kartarpur Corridor.
Fist batch of Indian pilgrims including former PM Manmohan Singh, Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu reaches Kartarpur.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor. The fist batch of 500 Sikh pilgrims including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sunny Deol also left for Pakistan to visit Darbar Sahib Gurudwara.
Prime Narendra Modi inaugurated the integrated check post before inaugurating the corridor.
#WATCH Punjab: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the Integrated Check Post of the #KartarpurCorridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur. pic.twitter.com/VgfjShL32g— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2019
Navjot Singh Sidhu reaches integrated check post. He will be the part of first Sikh jatha that will visit Darbar Sahib Gurudwara oin Kartarpur.
Prime Minister has concluded his speech at Dera Baba Nanak, where he is expected to shortly open the integrated check post. Modi said the opening of the check post will make it easier for the Sikh community in Punjab to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur. He also thanked Pakistan PM Imran Khan Niazi for understanding India's sentiments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan while inaugurating the integrated check post at Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur. "I would like to thank the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan Niazi for respecting the sentiments of India," he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is speaking at the inauguration of the Integrated Check Post at Dera Baba Nanak, the Indian town located merely four kilometres away from the international border demarcating India from Pakistan. Modi would be flagging off the first batch of pilgrims who would using the Kartarpur corridor to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib shrine in Pakistan's Narowal district.
Gurdaspur, November 9: The seven-decade-old demand of the Sikh community is finally set to be fulfilled as India and Pakistan will be opening the corridor connecting Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur to Kartarpur in Pakistan's Narowal district, which houses the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. On the Indian side, the corridor would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Stay tuned here for the live news and updates.
As per the schedule released by the Prime Minister's Office, Modi will reach Ber Sahib Gurudwara at Sultanpur Lodhi at around 10 am. He is slated for reaching Dera Baba Nanak at 12 pm. The corridor will be inaugurated by him between 12:30-1 pm. Before the main inauguration, the Indian PM is also expected to unveil the Integrated Check Post. Kartarpur Corridor and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan: All You Need to Know About the Venue and Celebrations.
Update by ANI:
Prime Minister's Office: PM shall inaugurate the Integrated Check Post of the #KartarpurCorridor at Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur in Punjab, tomorrow. Prime Minister, shall, prior to this, pay obeisance at Ber Sahib Gurudwara at Sultanpur Lodhi. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/fKWZUutozz
— ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2019
The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur is located nearly six kilometres away from Dera Baba Nanak, the Indian border town from where the corridor begins. The shrine in Pakistan's Narowal district is considered to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.
Notably, the official Indian delegation comprising of over 500 dignitaries includes several prominent Sikh preachers and leaders. The most prominent among them are former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
Gurdaspur MP and BJP leader Sunny Deol would also be part of the delegation, whereas, Amritsar legislator Navjot Singh Sidhu would not be part of the delegation. The cricketer-turned-politician, who was once a contemporary of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during his cricketing days, is projected by his supporters as the leader "who played a critical role" in convincing Islamabad to turn the route operational.