Sidhu gets Pakistan's invite number '0001' for Kartarpur inauguration

A day after Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu sought the permission of External Minister S. Jaishankar and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh to visit the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has extended a formal invitation. In the letter, Pakistan issued its official invitation to the inaugration ceremony of the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Corridor bearing  serial number 0001 to Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Here's the letter: 

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“It is brought to your kind notice that I have been invited by Pakistan government for opening Ceremony of Shri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on 09 Nov 2019. As a humble Sikh, it shall be a great honour to pay obeisance to our great Guru Baba Nanak on this historic occasion and connect to our roots," Sidhu wrote in his letter to the Union Minister. 

The Congress leader courted controversy during his last two visits to Pakistan, first by hugging the country's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during his visit to Imran Khan's oath-taking ceremony, with whom he shares a personal bond. Secondly for posing with Hafiz Saeed's aide Gopal Chawla at the Kartarpur event held last year in November. The pro-Khalistani leader, Chawla had later posted a picture on social media alongside Sidhu. 

Kartarpur Corridor

Attempting a face-saver, Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Friday announced in a tweet said that he has waived off the $20 fees for Kartapur Corridor visit for pilgrims on the day of inauguration and on Guru Nanak's 550th birthday.

READ| Punjab CM urges Pak's Imran Khan to extend token Kartarpur waiver

India and Pakistan had agreed to allow 5,000 pilgrims every day and that additional pilgrims will be allowed on special occasions, subject to capacity expansion of facilities by Pakistan side. India and Pakistan had also decided that the corridor would be operational throughout the year and seven days a week, and that pilgrims would have a choice to visit as individuals or in groups. Both sides agreed to build a bridge on the Budhi Ravi channel. Pending the construction of the bridge on the Pakistan side, both sides agreed to the crossing point coordinates of the temporary service road.

In November 2018, India and Pakistan had agreed to set up the border crossing linking Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak. The two sides had planned to open the corridor before the year-long celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev beginning in November.

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(With PTI inputs)