Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president G. S. Longowal has invited Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to attend a nagar kirtan (religious procession) in Nankana Sahib , leading up to the grand celebrations in November to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first guru of the Sikhs.
In an invitation dated July 9, Mr Longowal praised the Pakistan PM for “ably leading Pakistan to new heights of growth, religious brotherhood and peace prevailing under his leadership in Pakistan.”
Giving details of the nagar kirtan, Mr Longowal mentioned in the letter that the 100-day-long procession starts from Nankana Sahib and concludes in Sultanpur Lodhi in the Indian Punjab.
He was also quoted by some Indian media outlets as having invited Usman Buzdar and Chaudhary Sarwar, the chief minister and governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province respectively, to the same event.
The Indian media also reported that M. S. Sirsa, president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and Delhi MLA was “hopeful that Pakistan PM Imran Khan will accept the invitation” and that “it’s a golden opportunity for governments of both countries to create a good atmosphere”.
However, the Government of India is yet to react to this invitation extended to the PM of Pakistan.
In an interview to SBS Punjabi, Mr Longowal said: "we shouldn't derive political inferences out of this invitation. Our purpose is to further the message of Guru Nanak who is a jagat guru (global teacher). By extending this invitation to PM Khan, we hope that the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan can be channeled towards improvement."
Bilateral relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been quite sour of late, especially after the Pulwama attack in which India alleges that Pakistan-backed elements ambushed a paramilitary convoy on a highway in Indian-administered Kashmir.
This is a charge Pakistan vehemently denies. , India reacted with what is labelled as a “surgical strike” in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan territory, further adding to the tension between both countries. This brought both countries to the brink of war in March.
In the meantime, the Indian and Pakistani government have committed to opening the Kartarpur corridor for Sikh devotees in time for the 550th anniversary celebrations of the founder of the Sikh religion.
Click on the player at the top of the page to listen to this interview in Punjabi.
Listen to SBS Punjabi Monday to Friday at 9 pm. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
