Sikh leaders meet Pakistani Prime Minister

Sikh leaders of various countries on Tuesday met Pakistans caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Soomro in Islamabad and urged him to set up a visa centre in Amritsar.

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Amritsar, Nov 27 : Sikh leaders of various countries on Tuesday met Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Soomro in Islamabad and urged him to set up a visa centre in Amritsar.

They also asked for providing a corridor for Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, where Guru Nanak Dev spent his last 17 years.

The Sikh leaders, who are in Pakistan, to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, at Nankana Sahib had a half-hour long meeting with Soomro.

Dr. Pritpal Singh, convener of the American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC), while speaking to ANI from Islamabad said that the Pakistani Prime Minister assured them that the talks are already going on for setting up of a visa centre in Amritsar with the Indian government, and it would be done on a reciprocal basis.

Soomro also said that Pakistan Government has given its consent for providing corridor for Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib and that the Indian government has to decide on it. He assured the visiting Sikh leaders that Pakistan has no problem in providing pilgrimage visas to Sikh devotees, irrespective of any numbers.

There are more than 172 Sikh historical shrines located in Pakistan, but its government has issued visas to the Sikh devotees to visit only a couple of Gurdwaras.

The Sikh leaders' delegation consisted of Dr. Pritpal Singh, convener of American Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (AGPC), Bishen Singh, president Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (PSGPC), Sham Singh, former PSGPC president, Manmohan Singh, a Sikh leader from England, Avtar Singh Sangehra from England, leaders of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

ANI