Punjab CM to take up visa-free entry through Kartarpur corridor with External Affairs Minister

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh will take up the issue of visa-free entry through Kartarpur corridor with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

According to an official statement issued after the meeting of Cabinet, the government has resolved to take up, with the External Affairs Minister, the matter of allowing visa-free entry to the devotees intending to visit Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, without any entry fee, facilitation charges, service charges, etc.

"This would help them in 'Khula Darshan' enabling them to pay obeisance (Darshan-Didare) without any restriction in accordance with the prayer (ardaas) of Sikh Sangat," said the statement.

"The Chief Minister has promised to personally call on the External Affairs Minister, and urge him to prevail upon his counterpart in Pakistan to ensure visa-free entry to its territory for facilitating the millions of devotees to have Darshan-Didare seamlessly," the statement added.

The Cabinet also decided to invite the President of India and various eminent Sikh personalities to address the planned special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

The Cabinet decided to strongly recommend to the Government of India to convene a Special Joint Session of Parliament to mark the historic occasion. The Parliament session should be addressed by the President of India, with prominent Sikh personalities to be invited for participation.

The Chief Minister also decided to convene the next meeting of his Cabinet at Sultanpur Lodhi on October 10 to review the further progress of the ongoing infrastructural and development projects in the historic city.