ISLAMABAD: Two Indian ministers will attend a groundbreaking ceremony in Pakistan on November 28, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted late Saturday.
The Kartarpur corridor will make it easier for Sikhs to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal District, just three kilometers from the India-Pakistan border, and is due to be completed by November 2019.
“Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs.Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr.H.S.Puri,” External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.
“We hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible,” she tweeted separately.
Her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Twitter he had invited her and that Prime Minister Imran Khan was due to perform the groundbreaking.
New Delhi has responded positively to Islamabad’s efforts to make it easier for Sikhs to visit the gurdwara, where the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak spent the last years of his life.
Qureshi previously said the Kartarpur corridor would ensure the flow of Sikh pilgrims from India throughout the year. The project will also give visa-free access to Sikhs visiting the gurdwara.
The chief minister of Indian Punjab, Amarinder Singh, and cricketer-turned-politician, Navjot Singh Sidhu, were also invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony, Qureshi said.
Indian ministers to attend groundbreaking ceremony in Pakistan
Indian ministers to attend groundbreaking ceremony in Pakistan
- Kartarpur corridor project will help Sikhs visit holy place
- Pakistan PM to lead ceremony on November 28
Pakistan launches crypto testing framework to regulate digital assets
- Regulatory ‘sandbox’ to let firms test crypto products under supervision
- Move comes amid broader push to formalize Pakistan’s digital asset sector
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) on Friday launched a crypto testing framework to regulate digital assets, allowing firms to trial new products and services under official supervision.
The initiative, formally structured as a regulatory “sandbox,” creates a controlled environment where companies can test crypto-related services under the oversight of the regulator before full-scale approval.
According to PVARA, the sandbox will support real-world use cases including tokenization, stablecoins, remittances and on- and off-ramp infrastructure.
Tokenization refers to converting real-world assets into digital tokens on a blockchain, while stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to a fiat currency to maintain a stable value. On- and off-ramp infrastructure allows users to convert between fiat money and digital assets, enabling the practical use of virtual asset products.
“The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority has formally approved and launched its Regulatory Sandbox for virtual assets,” PVARA said in a post on X. “Sandbox Guidelines and the application process will be published shortly on our website.”
The move comes as the government seeks to build a formal regulatory framework for digital assets while attracting investment and strengthening oversight of the sector.
Pakistan has stepped up efforts recently to regulate its digital asset sector and is exploring digital currency initiatives as part of broader measures to reduce cash usage.
In January, Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding with a company affiliated with World Liberty Financial, a crypto-based finance platform launched in September 2024 and linked to US President Donald Trump’s family to explore the use of a dollar-linked stablecoin for cross-border payments.
