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    Kartarpur Corridor: See All That Happened During The Day

    IANS, 28 Nov, 2018 10:38 AM

      Reaching out to India in a big way, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wedenesday said it will be madness to think of war between the two nuclear-armed states and that friendship was the only option even as he asserted that the Army and political leadership in Islamabad were on the same page on improving ties with New Delhi.

       

      Using the occasion of ground-breaking ceremony for the long-awaited Kartarpur Corridor to reset his country's troubled ties with India, he was at his conciliatory best offering a olive branch saying if India takes one step, Pakistan will take two steps.

       

      However, Khan raked up the Kashmir issue saying that it was the only festering problem between the two countries and even that can be solved with "boldness and decisiveness" of political leadership.

       
       
       
       

      The function for the Kartarpur Corridor that will link Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur in India with Kartarpur Gurdwara, where Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life, was attended by Union Minister Harsmirat Kaur Badal and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, a long-time friend of Khan from their cricketing days.

       

      It was symbolic of elements that mark the fragility in Indo-Pakistan relations with the presence of Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and Khalistani activist Gopal Singh Chawla, a Pakistani national, on a day India declared that it will not participate in Saarc summit in Islamabad as talks and terror cannot go together.

       
       
       
       

      Referring to the strained relations between the two countries, he said a lot of mistakes have been made in the past by both the sides and said "the past is for learning lessons".

       

      "Both India and Pakistan are nuclear armed. There cannot be a war. Thinking of war is madness, thinking of winning is also madness as both will lose. There is no other option except friendship," Khan said.

       
       
       
       

      "Today, where India and Pakistan stand, it has been going on for the last 70 years. Till the time we break the barriers of the past, blame game and pointscoring will continue. We take one step forward and go back two steps. We have not displayed firmness to improve our relationship."

       

      In this context, he referred to friendly coexistence of France and Germany which had fought wars in the past and this was possible because of their leadership. "God has given us endless opportunities, why can't we move forward. India and Pakistan would not have killed so many people of each other as have France and Germany."

       
       
       
       

      He also said that China also had problems with its neighbours but it lifted 70 crore people above poverty in 30 years which was a world record, due to its leadership's farsightedness.

       

      Khan said that genuine political leadership should think of removing poverty. "If this happens, the two countries should move forward.

       

      "I want a strong relationship with India... We both can move ahead. If India takes one step, we will take two for friendship."

       

      Khan, who took over as Prime Minister earlier this year, referred to deep concerns in India that the Army drives Pakistan's relationship with India and does not want normalcy in the ties.

       
       
       
       

      "I am telling you our Army and political parties are on the same page. We want to move forward. We want a civilised relationship. There is one issue and that is Kashmir. Man has reached moon.

       

      Can't we solve our one issue? There is no such thing which cannot be solved. Both the countries need leadership with determination. Once the relationship improves, see what potential it offers to the two countries."

       

      He said if the borders between the two countries were open, it will boost trade and bring prosperity.

       

      Talking about happiness he saw on the faces of Sikh pilgrims, he compared it with the happiness Muslim pilgrims would experience four kilometres from Madina.

       
       
       
       

      It was at the Kartarpur gurdwara, which is located around two-to-three kilometres from the India-Pakistan border and is situated right opposite the border belt in Dera Baba Nanak in Indian's Gurdaspur district, that Guru Nanak Dev spent 18 years of his life till he died in 1539.

       

      The gurdwara, which fell in Pakistan territory following the Partition of India in 1947, has huge significance in Sikhism and Sikh history.

       

      For the past over 71 years, ever since Partition, Sikhs have been offering prayers near the international border while seeing the gurdwara from a distance.

       

      Khan also promised that in one year Kartarpur would have all the facilities that the pilgrims would look for.

       

      Referring to people-to-people relationship, he said there was a lot of love and affection for Indians among Pakistanis and his views also changed after he got love and respect when he played cricket in India.

       
       
       
       

      SIDHU HEAPS PRAISE ON IMRAN KHAN, SAYS KARTARPUR CORRIDOR A BIG POSSIBILITY

       
       

      Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday heaped praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, referring to him as a "farishta (angel)" at the function to lay foundation stone for the Kartarpur corridor. Sidhu said the event offered a big possibility for ending violence that has strained ties between the two countries.

       

      Sidhu, a friend of Imran Khan from his cricketing days, said religion should not be linked to politics or seen from the prism of terror.

       
       
       
       

      "In which book is it written that if I want to go a place linked to Guru Nanak Dev, I am not allowed to go?" he asked.

       

      He made an indirect reference to the border incidents and terror activities.

       

      "The blood-lettting should end, peace should return, mothers should not lose their sons. There has been a lot of bloodshed. I see this corridor as a big possibility. This is going to connect people, open doors of their hearts. It will establish contact," he said.

       

      "I am thankful to the Indian government and Prime Minister Imran Khan to establish the contact again, he said.

       
       
       
       

      Sidhu, whose speech was laced with several rhyming couplets, made several references to the Pakistan Prime Minister.

       

      He did not mention Prime Minister Narendra Modi by name but said that Indian government also deserved kudos for its decision.

       

      "The whole world should live happily and my friend Imran Khan should live long as a harbinger of love, peace and happiness."

       

      He said India's Constitution does not allow discrimination on the basis of caste, colour and creed and reflects the message of Guru Nanak.

       
       
       
       

      "Somebody becomes a medium, an angel comes and removes the wait of 70 years in moments and he also fulfills his duties as a friend."

       

      Sidhu, a Congress legislator from Amritsar who was at the function in his individual capacity, said when history is written of the corridor, the name of the Pakistan Prime Minister will be written on the front pages.

       

      "This is a miracle, what could not happen in 70 years, took place in three months. PM Sahab, your generals, colonels fulfilled their words. Indian government acknowledged it. It takes two to tango. Both deserve congratulations."

       

      He said Punjabis suffered during the Partition and that it was a wish of the Sikhs to be able to visit the gurdwara associated with Guru Nanak. Both Indian government and Imran Khan have fulfilled their responsibility, he added.

       
       
       
       

      He said the 'ardas' seeks well-being of all. "We pray for your well-being before ours," he said, referring to Khan.

       

      "This is the philosophy of Guru Nank. It brings people together, it talks of brotherhood," adding the "corridor of love" offers immense possibilities.

       

      The foundation stone for Kartapur Corridor on the Indian side was laid on Monday.

       
       
       
       

      WHY HUE AND CRY IN INDIA OVER SIDHU'S PAK VISIT: IMRAN KHAN

       

      Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday showered effusive praise on his friend from cricketing days and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and wondered why there was a "hue and cry" in India after his visit to Pakistan three months ago with the message of friendship and love.

       

      He also said Sidhu can win an election in Punjab in Pakistan.

       

      "I heard there was a lot of criticism of Sidhu when he went back after my oath-taking ceremony. The man came up with friendship and love. What crime did he commit, I don't know," he wondered speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor project near the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara, where Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak Dev, spent the last 18 years of his life.

       

      Sidhu was caught in controversy after hugging General Qamar Javed Bajwa during Khan's swearing-n ceremony and was criticised by the BJP and other right-wing organisations.

       
       
       
       

      Khan said that Sidhu is popular in Pakistan, specially in the country's Punjab province. "He can contest election, he will win," he said.

       

      Stating that there is no other option except friendship between the two countries, Khan said "hopefully we will not have to wait for Sidhu to become Prime Minister for relations to improve". Indian leadership will take positive steps, he hoped.

       

      Speaking after Sidhu, Khan said he is impressed with Sidhu's knowledge of Sufism while acknowledging that he was good in his cricket.

       

      Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Sidhu praised Khan and hailed both the governments for approving the corridor.

       
       
       
       

      HARSIMRAT LAUDS MODI, SAYS KARTARPUR CORRIDOR WILL BE HARBINGER OF PEACE

       

      Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday said the Kartarpur Corridor will be a "peace corridor" to end bitterness between India and Pakistan.

       

      She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his efforts have been reciprocated by Pakistan.

       

      Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan, Badal, who is a Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda, spoke in a different vein from Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu who lavished praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for the decision.

       
       
       
       

      Shiromani Akali Dal is a partner in the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre and is a rival of Congress in Punjab.

       

      She said when the Berlin Wall can fall, so can hatred between India and Pakistan after opening of the corridor. A new beginning can be made, she said.

       

      "It is a historic day for our country as a wish of crores of Sikhs is being fulfilled. History is being made. What could not happen in 70 years has happened with the blessings of Almighty," she said.

       
       
       
       

      She said Sikhs and devotees in India were only a short distance from Kartarpur gurdwara but could pay their obeisances from a distance. "They were so near yet so far. Now they have the opportunity to get the closest -- for the first time."

       

      Badal said she came as a devotee and was experiencing limitless bliss which she had not thought would come her way.

       
       
       
       

      Referring to Imran Khan who was a cricketer, she said he would also not thought that he would be the prime minister one day. "I know when Modiji sold tea (in childhood) he would have never thought he would lead 1.25 crore people," she said.

       

      Referring to the foundation stone of the corridor having been laid in India on Monday, she said she had seen history being made again. "This is a miracle of Baba Nanak."

       

      Badal said her party had been working on the programmes to mark the 55Oth anniversary of Guru Nanak for seven months and their "number one" demand from the government was Kartarpur Corridor.

       
       
       
       

      "When the Union cabinet took this decision, there was no limit to our happiness. When the Prime Minister took this decision, there came another good news (from Pakistan). It will be a peace corridor for bitterness between the two countries ," she said.

       

      She said Guru Nanak had spread the message of his life by staying at Kartarpur.

       

      She said they had brought holy water from Darbar Sahib and also some soil. "This corridor will also bring all the religions together."

       

      She urged Pakistan government to take decisions such as those taken by the Indian government including postage stamps and coins to mark 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and starting a train linking all places associated with Guru Nanak.

       

      "I want to assure you on behalf of my prime minister that the whole world will celebrate the anniversary, there will be happiness and there will be improvement in ties and the corridor will be a message of peace," she said.

       
       
       
       

      JAVADEKAR SLAMS SIDHU FOR SHOWERING PRAISE ON IMRAN KHAN

       

      Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday criticized Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for showering praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan during the Kartarpur Corridor ceremony in that country.

       

      He also slammed Sidhu for discussing domestic issues with Pakistan at a time when Pakistan has been found involved in cross-border terrorism. "Sidhu committed the biggest sin by flouting norms of diplomatic relations by discussing domestic issues with Pakistan," he added.

       
       
       
       

      "It's surprising to see Sidhu showering praise on Khan at a time when Pakistan has been found involved in terrorism in our country," Javadekar said. "Sidhu should know that the event was not a 'Laughters' Challenge programme," he said.

       

      "Sidhu's Congress party follows double standard and will not act against him. Earlier Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had gone to Pakistan and spoken on removing Modi, and now Sidhu it seems, is following in his footsteps. Both present the mindset of the Congress," said Javadekar.

       

      Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for opening the Kartarpur Corridor for facilitating Sikhs' pilgrimage, connecting the holy shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Kartarpur) in Pakistan.

       

      Sidhu said that "whenever history is written about the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, Khan's name will be written on the first page."

       
       
       
       

      CORRIDOR CANNOT CHANGE RELATIONS; HAVE TO DEAL WITH GROUND REALITY OF TERROR: PURI

       

      Union Minister of State Hardeep Puri on Wednesday said though the Kartarpur Corridor was a welcome initiative between India and Pakistan, the relations between the countries could not change just because of this and India will have to deal with the "ground reality of terror".

       

      "We have to deal with ground reality of terror. Terror and talks don't make a happy companion. Relations between both countries cannot change because of the corridor," Puri told media immediately after returning to India on Wednesday evening after attending the ground breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan along with Union cabinet minister Harsimrat Badal.

       

      Puri made it clear that Pakistan will have to show intentions if it wanted relations with India to move forward.

       
       
       
       

      "Pakistan will have to do a lot of work on (controlling) terrorism and infiltration. If there is delivery on terrorism, and that is an essential pre-requisite, (we can move ahead)," he said.

       

      Refusing to get into the controversy over credit for the Kartarpur Corridor being approved by governments of India and Pakistan and Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's role, Puri said: "Talks on the Kartarpur Corridor have been going on for seven months."

       

      Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal said she and Puri had gone to Pakistan to represent the country and also offer prayers to Guru Nanak Dev who spread the message of love and peace.

       

      "I have told the media there that Kashmir is part of India and will remain as such. There is no scope for negotiation on this," Harsimrat, who acknowledged that they were given a lot of warmth and respect in Pakistan, told media after her return.

       
       
       
       

      Both ministers represented India at the function where Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the Kartarpur Corridor project near the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara, where Sikhism's founder, Guru Nanak Dev, spent the last 18 years of his life.

       

      Earlier, while heading for Pakistan, Puri said there was an "opportunity and goodwill" in the decision of the Indian and Pakistani governments to build the Kartarpur Corridor, but sounded a note of caution: "We have to be acutely conscious of the ground realities" in the two nations.

       

      "This is a historic day. This is a long standing demand of the Sikh community. At least, what I know, since 1994-95, we have been making this demand," said Puri, who walked across to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah check post, around 30 km from Amritsar.

       
       
       
       

      "This decision is anchored in hope and goodwill. But we have to be acutely conscious of the ground realities. And the ground realities are that the two countries, on account of a lot of factors, house distrust," he said.

       

      "We have felt for very long that we have been at the receiving end of actions of a country which should not have allowed certain forces on its territory. I don't want to touch on those now," Puri said.

       

      The Minister made it clear that he was not going for any bilateral discussions with Pakistan. "I am not carrying any bilateral brief. But equally, if the ground-breaking ceremony and these atmospherics are done in a positive way and we are able to invoke the Guru Maharaj's blessings, I am sure that it will become a stepping stone to positive things happening in the future," he said.

       
       
       
       

      "This is a corridor that should have been operationalised many years ago. The cartographer who made the (boundary) line made a fundamental mistake. I think this (gurdwara) should have been on this (India) side (of the border). But let's accept the ground realities. We should take one step at a time without getting euphoric," he said.

       

      Puri said that both countries now need to operationalise the corridor project smoothly. "And making the corridor operational and taking this process further will require actions by all stakeholders.

       

      "Let's take these things one step at a time. I don't want to jump the gun, I think we must allow the goodwill of the Guru Maharaj that is the essence of his teaching," he said.

       

      "He was a person at least half a century ahead of his times. And the kind of teachings he has given, if those teachings can be invoked to resolve our problems, it would be a very proud day for me as a Sikh," he added.

       
       
       
       

      Asked to comment on the statements of Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is projecting himself as the person who was instrumental in getting the Kartarpur Corridor project cleared by both countries, Puri said: "I don't want to comment on my colleague (Sidhu) in any way. There is no scope for personalisation here. This is a demand of the Sikh community."

       

      It was at the Kartarpur gurdwara, located around 3km from the international border and is right opposite the border belt in Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district in Punjab, that Guru Nanak Dev spent his last days till he died in 1539.

       

      The gurdwara, which fell inside Pakistan's territory following the Partition of India in August 1947, has huge significance in Sikh religion and history.

       

      For the past over 71 years, ever since the Partition, Sikhs have been offering prayers near the border watching the gurdwara from a distance.

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