Work on Kartarpur project in final stages: PM.

ISLAMABAD -- Prime Minister Imran Khan has said construction work on the Kartarpur corridor project has entered the final stage, expressing the hope that the world's largest Gurdwara will be visited by Sikhs from across India and other parts of the world.

The corridor will be formally opened three days before Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's 550th birth anniversary that falls on Nov 12.

Sharing a few photos of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and final touches being given to the corridor project in a post on his official page of Facebook on Sunday, Mr Khan said: 'Pakistan is all set to open its doors for Sikhs from across the globe as the construction work on Kartarpur project enters final stages and will be opened to public on November 9.'

Calling Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur as the world's largest gurdwara, the prime minister expressed the hope that the Sikh community from India and other parts of the globe would be visiting it. 'This will become a major religious hub for the Sikh community,' he said.

Says Gurdwara Darbar Sahib will become a major religious hub for Sikh community across the world

Mr Khan said it would not only boost the local economy, but also result in earning foreign exchange for the country creating jobs in different sectors, including travel and hospitality. The prime minister said religious tourism was on the rise in Pakistan, as earlier Buddhist monks visited various sites [mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Punjab] for religious rituals, which would be followed by the opening of the Kartarpur corridor.

On the Indian side, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly set to inaugurate the corridor's integrated checkpoint on Nov 8, while former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh along with thousands of Sikh pilgrims would be visiting Pakistan for the inauguration of the other part of the corridor.

The former premier's tour to Pakistan was confirmed by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during a media talk in Multan on Saturday. He announced that Mr Singh had accepted his invitation to attend the Kartarpur corridor inauguration ceremony. However, he added, Mr Singh would like to be visiting as a common man and not as a special guest.

The Sikh community in India's northern state of Punjab and elsewhere had long sought easier access to Gurdwara...