Capt Amarinder hails Pak for removal of \'permit for passage\' via Kartarpur corridor

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Sunday, welcomed Pakistan's decision to remove the requirement of a separate permit system to allow pilgrims to travel through the historic Kartarpur corridor but requested for the waiver of passport to facilitate devotees from the rural areas of the state to visit the holy place.

Chief Minister Singh, in a statement, said Pakistan has now agreed to 5,000 devotees a day as against its original proposal of 500 but the number needed to be further raised.

The Chief Minister, however, hailed Pakistan's decision to allow Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders, as urged by him.

The historic corridor would not serve its full potential unless Pakistan agreed to become even more flexible with regard to pilgrims visit the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, an official quoted him as saying.

He urged the Central government to engage even more closely with Pakistan to secure their agreement on other demands he has been putting forth.

The Chief Minister also reiterated his demand for a special package from the Centre to make the celebrations truly historic and befitting the sacred occasion.

The Chief Minister has hoped the government would press Pakistan to accept other key demands being raised by him over the past several months.

These included further increase in the daily limit of pilgrims allowed passage by Islamabad to enable 'khulle darshan' to mark the historic occasion of the 550th birth anniversary celebration of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, the statement said.