Punjab Assembly passes resolution hailing Kartarpur corridor

Even though Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday urged all political parties to foil the nefarious designs of Pakistan's ISI supported terrorism, opposition members in the Punjab Assembly advised him not to view the Kartarpur Corridor issue through the prism of terrorism.

The Punjab Assembly, in its winter session here, unanimously passed a resolution on the opening of Dera Baba Nanak-Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.

Reiterating his government's commitment to protecting Punjab from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed terror using the Kartarpur Corridor project, the Chief Minister said no one would be allowed to push the state back into the black days of terrorism.

"The house records its appreciation for the efforts made by the Punjab government and the Government of India to open the corridor and urged the GoI to ensure completion of all necessary works for its operationalisation well before the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji in November 2019, in keeping with the long pending demand of Punjabis, while ensuring that peace of Punjab is not disturbed in any manner," the resolution said.

Amarinder Singh described the corridor as a 'Bridge of Peace' between the people of India and Pakistan. He added that it was really a momentous occasion for all, especially the Sikh community, which had been longing for the opening of the corridor in their daily prayers since partition.

The Chief Minister did not mention the role of his Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu while speaking on the deliberations regarding the Kartarpur Corridor.

Amarinder Singh said he was subjected to a lot of criticism from different quarters, including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal and President Sukhbir Singh Badal, for his unequivocal stand on Pakistan Army's persistent efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.

He said: "Do you really think that Pakistan Army is our sympathizer, when it is continuously killing our soldiers at the border with the ultimate aim of destabilizing the border state.

"The Chief Minister called upon all the political parties to be wary of Pakistan Army's ulterior motive to revive terrorism in Punjab through ISI-backed stooges, which was evident from the fact that several terrorist modules had been neutralized and from the arrest of numerous operatives, besides seizure of large hauls of ammunition and narcotics.

Amarinder Singh said his grandfather, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, undertook 'kar sewa' (voluntary service) of Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara from 1920-1929 after it was badly ravaged by floods in river Ravi.

He also reiterated his announcement, which he made at the foundation stone laying ceremony at Dera Baba Nanak on November 26, that he would be part of the first Jatha (contingent) to offer prayers at Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev.

--IANS

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