Sushma Swaraj declines Pakistan's invite for ground breaking ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor; 2 ministers to represent India

The External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has declined the invite of Pakistan for the ground breaking ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor, scheduled for November 28, which will be attended by the Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invoked the symbolism of Berlin Wall and its falling in 1989 which brought the East and West Germany together and this corridor might ring the two countries (India and Pakistan) together.

Swaraj in his response said, “We hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible.”

Shah Mahmood Qureshi of Pakistan had tweeted saying, “On behalf of Pakistan, I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj, Capt Amarinder Singh @capt_amarinder & Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at #Kartarpura on 28 Nov, 2018. #PakistanKartarpuraSpirit”.

Swaraj said that due to election campaigning in Telangana and other states, she has a tight schedule and won’t be able to make it to the Corridor’s ground breaking ceremony. She tweeted “I thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Foreign Minister of Pakistan for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the Pakistan side of the International boundary on 28 November 2018… Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs.Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr.H.S.Puri.”

PM Modi had said at a function in Delhi, while celebrating Guru Nanak Dev’s brith anniversary, “Kisne socha that ki Berlin ki deewar gir sakti hai. Shayad Guru Nanak Devji ke aashirwad se Kartarpur ka corridor sirf corridor nahi, jan-jan ko jodne ka bahut bada kaaran ban sakta hai (Who thought the Berlin Wall would fall. Maybe with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, Kartarpur corridor will not only be a corridor but can be a reason to bring people together).”

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