ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Wednesday that the government issued a commemorative coin to commemorate the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh religion, and invited the Indian cricket star and former minister Navjot Singh Sidhu at the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor Project on November 9.
Sidhu accepted the invitation and assured the government that he would definitely attend the function, said Pakistan spokesman Tehreek-i-Insaf. "Mr. Sidhu expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Imran Khan for inviting him to the event."
According to the PTI central secretariat, the government sent an invitation to Mr. Sidhu, who had attended the oath ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan last year and had been heavily criticized in India, especially by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP), for embracing Pakistan's army chief, Gen Qamar Bajwa, who had told him about the peace initiative.
Navjot Singh Sidhu accepts Imran's invitation for the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor
India has reportedly shared with Pakistan a list of 575 people who will be part of the first lot that will be used by the newly built Kartarpur corridor to cross the border and visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. The group is expected to be led by former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while Amarinder Singh, Hardeep Puri, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and parliamentarians and MLA from Punjab will also be part of the group.
Sidhu would also attend the show, according to the PTI spokesman.
Sidhu said millions of Sikhs were eager to visit Kartarpur and thanked the Pakistani government for completing the corridor project that provided them with easy access to pay tribute to their religious leader.
In a statement, PTI senator Faisal Javed said the Kartarpur project was a gift from Prime Minister Khan to the Sikh community. He said the prime minister along with the people of Pakistan would welcome their Sikh guests on November 9.
Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur stretches over 42 acres of land, is 4.5 kilometers from the international border in Narowal district. It is one of the holiest places in the world for Sikhs where Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji was established and preached during the last 18 years of his life.
Posted on Dawn, October 31, 2019
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1513951/coin-issued-to-commemorate-guru-nanaks-550th-birth-anniversary