Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday paid obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and urged the Centre to reopen the Kartarpur corridor.
Mann, who was accompanied by his wife Dr. Gurpreet Kaur, said he prayed for peace, progress and harmony in Punjab. Speaking to reporters, he questioned the Union government’s silence over reopening the corridor and said the decision should come voluntarily rather than only after formal requests.
“What is the use if they reopen it only when someone writes to them? They should do it on their own. Now even cricket matches are being played with Pakistan. Devotees visit Kartarpur Sahib and return after 4–5 hours. The Home and External Affairs ministries must reopen the Kartarpur corridor,” Mann said.
He pointed out that trade with Pakistan continues through Gujarat and that sporting ties have resumed, reflecting the need for consistency in policy. “People of both countries want peace,” he added. The Kartarpur corridor connects Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev, with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab.
India had closed its side of the corridor following tensions with Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.When asked about the possibility of resuming trade through the Attari-Wagah border, Mann said it would be a welcome move. “Lakhs of people will get employment and our trade will grow. We have been raising this demand repeatedly,” he said.