Islamabad:Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has said that the establishment of the Kartarpur Corridor is a matter of pride for every Pakistan.
Sardar Arora was speaking as chief guest at a Seminar on “Kartarpur Corridor: Pakistan's initiatives for peace and harmony” organised here by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI).
Sardar Arora said that when the corridor was being built, every political party in Pakistan fully supported it as a national project. It also reflected the State’s priority, which is to ensure the rights of minorities in Pakistan. The message given by Guru Nanak is universal focusing on peace, solidarity and love. He highlighted that while India claims to be a secular country, even today, Sikh marriages are registered there under Hindu laws. In Pakistan, on the other hand, Sikh marriages are registered under Sikh Marriage Act which was implemented last year.
He stressed that though the message of Guru Nanak was love, peace and hope, certain vested interests and forces that want to destabilise Pakistan are bent on derailing this message. But despite that, there has been a 72 per cent increase in Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Those coming from India take back with them memories of love and hospitality.
Sardar Ramesh apprised the audience that the Government of Pakistan intends to rehabilitate at least 46 more Gurdwaras and other religious places of Hinduism and Buddhism. He also highlighted the fact that it is not Pakistan’s state policy to discriminate or persecute the minorities whereas the same could not be said about the neighbouring country as reflected in frequent anti-minority violence and legislation.
Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, former Minister of State, appreciated Pakistan’s decision to establish the Kartarpur Corridor and said that Pakistan has become a model state after Riyasat-e-Medina for peaceful co-existence. He however noted that the minority’s number is decreasing which should be given more focus to ascertain the reasons. He stressed that religious tourism should be promoted in Pakistan which will help the country in economic terms, project a soft image of Pakistan and assist in the fight against terrorism and extremism. Abu Bakar Aftab Qureshi shared a brief history and said that Baba Guru Nanak founded Kartarpur in 1504 AD.