ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Sikh pilgrims have arrived in Pakistan ahead of Saturday’s grand opening of Kartarpur Corridor which will allow access to the members of their religious community, especially from India, to visit the shrine of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith.
The corridor is a rare joint initiative of India and Pakistan. Its foundations were laid in November 2018 by the two governments who organized groundbreaking ceremonies on both sides of the border.
Despite tensions, disagreements, border skirmishes, diplomatic rows, aerial dog fights, and abrogation of Indian-administered Kashmir’s special status, the corridor project remained one constant India and Pakistan managed to achieve with single-minded determination.
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is the last resting place of Guru Nanak, and an easy access to the holy site has remained a longstanding desire of some 24 million Indian Sikhs.
In these two videos, Arab News gives its readers a glimpse into the past, showing how the two governments of the rival South Asian nations decided to materialize the vision of constructing the corridor, and how things stand right ahead of Guru Nanak’s 550th birth anniversary.
In Kartarpur, Sikh pilgrims await biggest event in their religion’s history
In Kartarpur, Sikh pilgrims await biggest event in their religion’s history
- A rare joint initiative of South Asia’s nuclear-armed neighbors, the corridor will benefit millions of Sikhs around the world
- Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is the last resting place of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith
Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions
- Pakistan’s foreign minister stresses need for de-escalation in conversations with Chinese, Saudi counterparts
- Tensions in the Middle East continue to remain high as conflict between US, Israel and Iran intensifies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China on Tuesday, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies.
Pakistan has constantly engaged regional countries in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the US and Isreal launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
Iran launched fresh attacks on Gulf countries on Tuesday morning, where it has targeted US military bases in recent weeks. In addition to firing missiles and drones at Israel and American bases in the region, Iran has also been targeting energy infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring worldwide.
Dar spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the statement said.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi over the telephone separately. The two discussed the evolving regional situation and broader global developments.
Dar underscored the need to ease tensions in the Middle East and the wider region during the conversation, the foreign office said.
Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and stability in the region, it added.
“The two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and emphasized the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” the foreign office’s statement said.
The conflict in the Middle East has hit Pakistan hard as well, forcing Islamabad to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per liter last Friday.
Pakistan’s government has also announced a set of austerity measures, which include closing schools and cutting down on government expenditures, as it evaluates petrol stocks and looks for alternative supply routes.
