Kartarpur Corridor reopening made possible with PM Modi, Pakistan PM's efforts: Navjot Sidhu

Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday expressed his happiness over the reopening of Kartarpur Corridor and said this had been made possible with the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Navjot Singh Sidhu made these remarks at a press conference in Punjab's Gurdaspur after returning from his visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan. He said, "The reopening of Kartarpur Corridor has been made possible with the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan." Also read | Sanya Malhotra, Rajkummar Rao-starrer 'Hit-The First Case' release date out "I request that if you want to change lives in Punjab, we should open the borders (for cross-border trade). Why should we go through Mundra Port, a total of 2,100 km? Why not from here, where it's only 21 km (to Pakistan)," he added. His visit came after a fresh tussle erupted in the Punjab Congress following the exclusion of Navjot Singh Sidhu's name from Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi-led delegation comprising state Cabinet ministers that visited the Kartarpur Sahib on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Punjab Pradesh Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu raked up yet another controversy by calling Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan ‘bade bhai’ (elder brother). Also read | Maoists blow up railway tracks in Jharkhand, train services hit on Barkakana-Garhwa route BJP leader Amit Malviya also shared a video of Navjot Singh Sidhu in which the Congress leader can be seen hugging an official of Kartarpur and calling Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan his "bada bhai" (elder brother).

Rahul Gandhi’s favourite Navjot Singh Sidhu calls Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan his “bada bhai”. Last time he had hugged Gen Bajwa, Pakistan Army’s Chief, heaped praises. Is it any surprise that the Gandhi siblings chose a Pakistan loving Sidhu over veteran Amarinder Singh? pic.twitter.com/zTLHEZT3bC — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 20, 2021

Kartarpur Corridor links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district. It was reopened on November 17. It was closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government praised cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu for his role in the opening of the corridor to Sikh pilgrimage site Kartarpur Sahib between the two countries. The relationship between Imran Khan and Navjot Sidhu came to the limelight in 2018 when the latter attended the oath-taking ceremony of the Pakistan PM. -PTC News