Sydney, December 3, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The Convenor of NRI World Organization (NRIWO) Dr. Amarjit Tanda has stated at Rosehill Sydney NSW talking to the press that despite the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on November 9, there are still thousands of Sikh pilgrims who still have to take ‘darshans’ of the holy Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara by standing at the zero line at Dera Baba Nanak.
Dr Tanda said that the Pakistan has permitted entry of 5,000 pilgrims per day to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara.
Dr Tanda said that thousands of Sikhs are unable to go to Pakistan to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara since the neighbouring country has put the passport as a pre-requisite for entry. The pilgrims without their passports are left with no option but to see the Gurdwara Sahib from the ‘viewpoint’, the place from where they watched the Sikh shrine from the past seven decades.
Dr Tanda said that he has appealed to the Pakistani government that the pre-requisite to enter the country i.e the passport should be withdrawn.
Dr Tanda said that we are grateful to both the governments but we have a request as the passport should not be a pre-requisite to visit the Darbar Sahib. The benefits of the corridor will only be available to the common pilgrims if other identity cards such as the Aadhaar card or voter ID card are accepted as an identity proof,” Dr Tanda said.
Dr Tanda said that the Sikh community can manage the fee but pre-requisite to own a passport should be dropped.
