Manmohan Singh declines Pakistan's Kartarpur opening invite: Sources

Congress sources on Monday said that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not accept Pakistan's invitation to attend the Kartarpur Corridor opening on November 9.

READ | Pakistan invites Dr Manmohan Singh for Kartarpur Corridor inauguration

The former PM was invited by the Pakistan government for the opening ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor.

 "We would like to extend an invitation to former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the inauguration function of Kartarpur Corridor. He also represents the Sikh community. We will also send him a formal invitation," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said.

The Kartarpur Corridor will be inaugurated three days before the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. At the start, 5,000 Indian pilgrims will be allowed to visit daily and the number will be then increased to 10,000 per day, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Meanwhile, India has also asked Pakistan to reconsider its decision of charging USD 20 as a service charge from the pilgrims visiting the Kartapur Corridor in Pakistan.

READ | Punjab CM at Dera Baba Nanak, reviews work on Kartarpur corridor

The corridor is being built by Pakistan from the Indian side of the border to the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib. India is working to build the other part from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur up to the border.

NHAI constructing a four-lane highway 

The National Highway Authority of India is constructing the four-lane highway connecting the Zero point of the corridor up to National Highway-354. A passenger terminal is also under construction. The Kartarpur corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab. The Sikh pilgrimage will be visa-free and the devotees will just have to obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established by Guru Nanak Dev in 1522.

Earlier on September 16, Pakistan had announced that it would open the Kartarpur Corridor for Indian Sikh Pilgrims on November 9. The Kartarpur corridor is located in Narowal, some 125 Km from Lahore.

READ | Kartarpur to allow pilgrims; pick and drop, medicals, lunch provided

READ | Sikhs meet PM Modi in Houston, thank him for Kartarpur corridor

(With Inputs from ANI)