Kartarpur: Amarinder asks PM to press Pak on proposed service charge move

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to pressurise Pakistan into withdrawing its proposal to impose a $20 service charge on passage through the Kartarpur corridor.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister suggested that the Ministry of External Affairs take up the matter in the bilateral meetings on the subject for an early resolution.

Pakistan's insistence on levying service charge would impose a significant financial burden on the lakhs of pilgrims seeking darshan of the Kartapur Sahib gurdwara, many of whom may not be so well-off, the Chief Minister said.

Amarinder Singh noted that on earlier occasions too, he had requested the government of India to intercede with its Pakistan counterpart for not levying any visa or other charges on the pilgrims visiting Kartapur Sahib.

This would be in fulfillment of the long-cherished desire to have "khulle darshan deedar" of the holy shrine of Kartarpur in Pakistan, he stressed.

Amarinder Singh underlined the historic importance of the Kartarpur corridor, slated to be opened as part the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, which will be celebrated with great devotion and fervour in November this year. IANS