Kartarpur (Pakistan ) , July 16, 2019: Governor of Pakistan Punjab Chaudhary Mohammad Sarvar, during his inspection visit to the Kartarpur Corridor on Tuesday, said more land has been acquired and added that rumours circulating that Sikh heritage has been damaged during construction activity are completely false.
During the visit, Sarvar inspected the ongoing construction work at the Kartar Corridor Complex and also paid obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
Speaking to Babushahi, Pawan Singh Arora, Public Relation Officer to the Governor, said senior officials, including deputy commissioner of Narowal and commissioner of Gujranwala, senior police officials, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee members, architect Parvez Qureshi among others accompanied the governor.
Sarvar did a survey of the area and took stock of the work in progress. He was briefed about the status of work and was informed that 80 per cent of the work had been completed.
“He was told that the speed of work on the Pakistan side was progressing at a much faster rate than on the Indian side and the workers were labouring day and night to finish the remaining work well before time,” said Arora.
Sarvar said that more land has been acquired and now the total land extends to an area of 104 acres.
“All the propaganda that the whole project will be commercialised is false. There is no commercialisation. In the 104 acres the only building standing is that of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. Utmost care has been taken to preserve Sikh heritage, culture and tradition,” Sarvar said.
“There are rumours being spread that modifications are being carried out in the gurdwara. This is totally false. There is no modification, renovation or re-construction taking place at the gurdwara complex. The two ancient wells at the gurdwara are intact,” he said.
The governor appealed to Sikhs the world over not to believe in such rumours and invited them to visit Pakistan and tour all places of worship and see how well the gurdwaras are being looked after rather than believe in propaganda.
“All pilgrims who come to visit Darbar Sahib will be given the best of facilities and no kind of limitations will be placed on the number of pilgrims who can visit,” Arora said.
“All Sikh pilgrims who travel through the corridor on buses are welcome and it doesn’t matter how many come, we welcome all. We will run everything according to rules agreed upon by the two countries,” Arora said.
The governor also inspected the road, including the bridge on river Ravi, from the zero line to Darbar Sahib gurdwara.
For pilgrims who want to walk to the gurdwara, a path has been constructed.
"Pilgrims will enter from the Indian side on buses but for those who want to walk till the gurdwara the buses will stop at a point before the gurdwara and they will get down there and use the path to walk the remaining distance while rest will go in the bus up to the gurdwara," said Arora.
Arora said all work is being carried out in close coordination with PSGPC and proper Sikh protocol is followed so as to not hurt religious sentiments.