On December 18, the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association (PCCA) organized an event in Surrey where the Indian Punjabi Sikhs presented a letter of thanks to the Pakistani government through its Consul in Vancouver Fahad Amjad.
The Pakistani and Indian Diaspora came together in Surrey to celebrate the launch of Kartarpur corridor that will provide Sikhs access to their historical gurdwara across the international border.
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak had spent his final years in Kartarpur that is located close to the now fenced Indo-Pak border in Pakistan.
On the 550th birth anniversary of Nanak next year, Pakistan government is going to allow the Sikh pilgrims to travel without any visa through the corridor to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara.
Following the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, not only Kartarpur Sahib, but many other important gurdwaras, including the birthplace of Nanak were separated from the Sikhs in India. For years they have been asking the almighty every day as part of their daily Ardas (prayer) for open access to the shrines separated from the community. Those who live close to the border mostly visit an Indian border security post to see the distantly visible Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara through binoculars.
Recently, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that his government is willing to open the corridor. Though Pakistan had made such offers earlier too, the Indian government had remained reluctant and sceptical citing security reasons. India continues to blame Pakistan for sponsoring terror in India. Nevertheless, the Indian government has now accepted the offer and reciprocated to it by agreeing to construct their part of the corridor.
These developments have revived the hopes of permanent peace in the region that saw two major wars between India and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971.
On Tuesday, December 18, the Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association (PCCA) organized an event in Surrey where the Indian Punjabi Sikhs presented a letter of thanks to the Pakistani government through its Consul in Vancouver Fahad Amjad. The letter was given to Amjad by the team of Punjabi Business Association of Canada led by Jaspinder Brar.
It was also the birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, father of the Pakistani nation. Later, the organizers cut a cake to celebrate both the birthday of Jinnah and the opening of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. A video presentation on the corridor plan was also screened at the event attended by elected officials from Surrey.
Among those who spoke on the occasion was BC Minister for Labour Harry Bains, who was joined on the dais by his party colleagues and NDP MLAs Jagrup Brar and Rachna Singh. Others who spoke were Liberal MP Randeep Singh Sarai, BC Liberal MLA Marvin Hunt and Conservative Party candidate Shinder Purewal.
Former BC Minister and a Liberal leader Dr. Gulzar Cheema who hails from Gurdaspur which is close to Kartarpur Sahib gave background information on the campaign by Sikhs for open access to the shrines separated due to partition.
Prominent progressive businessman Baldev Bath also spoke on the occasion. Others who addressed the gathering included PCCA officials Naveed Waraich, Farukh Sayed, Farooq Rai and a young Punjabi poet Irvin Singh – who recited a poem dedicated to the opening of the corridor.