Chandigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday welcomed the Centre's decision to approve construction of a corridor up to the Punjab border to facilitate the journey of pilgrims to the historic Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal thanked the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision taken at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.
"We are grateful to the Modi government for this historic decision. The 70-year-old demand of the Sikh community to have a corridor to offer prayers at the gurdwara has been finally acceded to," Badal, flanked by his wife and Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, told the media in New Delhi.
The construction of the corridor will be undertaken by India from the border town of Dera Baba Nanak to the international border with Pakistan.
The government has decided to urge Pakistan to construct the remaining part of the corridor in its territory.
The gurdwara, which is significant for the Sikh community since the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, spent 18 years of his life in Kartarpur till he died in 1539.
The All India Sikh Students' Federation also on Thursday welcomed the decision.
Federation President Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad said: "The recent decisions by the Pakistan government to open the corridor and the Indian government to build the corridor respectively is commendable and praiseworthy.
"These decisions will gradually and eventually lead towards long lasting peace. Both the governments should work on the corridor together and send the message of peace in the world, which would be in coherence with the teachings of Sri Guru Nanak dev ji."
Guru Nank's 550th birth anniversary will be celebrated next year.
The Punjab Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution on August 27 seeking uninterrupted opening of the corridor.
Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been pitching for opening of a corridor for Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan, Thursday welcomed the Centre's decision to develop passage from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur to the shrine in the neighbouring country.
I welcome this auspicious step by the Union Cabinet, it will be a cup of joy for 12 crore 'Nanak Naam Laivas'. It will build bridges, burn animosity and will act like a soothing balm for two neighbouring countries, Sidhu said in a tweet.
I thank the Govt of India from the core of my heart and take a bow! I request the Hon'ble PM of Pakistan @ImranKhanPTI Sahib to take reciprocal steps for opening the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and spread Baba Nanak's message of universal brotherhood and peace across the Globe, Sidhu said in another tweet.
Sidhu is at present in Madhya Pradesh, campaigning for state assembly polls.
The Union Cabinet Thursday cleared a proposal for building and developing the Kartarpur corridor to provide easy passage to Sikh pilgrims to the historic gurdwara in Pakistan.
The government will build and develop the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Sikh pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur which is on the banks of Ravi river.
Sidhu had earlier raised this issue with Union External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in connection with the opening of Kartarpur corridor. He had said it was the responsibility of the Indian government to make a formal request to Pakistan for it.
Sidhu's visit to Pakistan to attend Imran Khan's swearing-in ceremony as prime minister of Pakistan in August this year had come under fire from the Opposition for his hug to Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Sidhu had claimed that the Pakistan army chief had told him about making efforts to open the Kartarpur corridor .
Even Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had ticked off his Cabinet colleague for hugging the Pakistan army chief.
Kartarpur is located in Shakargarh in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab. Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism, had spent over 18 years of his life here.
The Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is located about three to four km from the Indo-Pak border in Pakistan.