Kartarpur pilgrims to get facilities of international standard: Qadri

ISLAMABAD: Federal Religious Minister Noor ul Haq Qadri has directed the Evacuee Trust Property Board to provide facilities of international standard to Sikh pilgrims visiting their sacred places in Kartarpur.

The minister made the remarks while presiding over an inter-ministerial meeting on Kartarpur on Monday.

Secretary Religious affairs, chairman ETPB, Additional secretary finance, Director military operations were also present in the meeting.

The various agenda items discussed in the meeting included Kartarpur PC 1 approval status and approval and postings in the Project management unit.

The minister noted Kartarpur project has got immense importance in terms of projection of Pakistan’s soft image to the world.

“Not only that Sikh pilgrims would be facilitated to visit their sacred places but it also projects to the international community that Pakistan is a very tolerant society,” he stressed.

Noor ul Haq Qadri while appreciating the government’s role in early completion of the project stated: “It is one of the greatest achievements of the country that such a mega project has been reaching its completion in a minimal timeframe of 8-10 months.”

The secretary religious affairs also while highlighting the importance of the project stated that very soon the project will become not only an example of a “self sustainable model” but will also bring immense revenue generation to the country.

The minister also underscored that approval and postings on permanent basis are very important in the project management unit as currently it is being run on temporary arrangements.

Regarding this it was also decided that in order to facilitate the Sikh Pilgrims to perform the religious rituals around 150 posts would be created under PMU.

The ETPB was also directed that facilities of international standards be provided to the pilgrims. Soon work on Phase 2 will also be started and this will pertain to construction of hotels, markets, and tourist resorts that will entertain all the pilgrims.

The meeting concluded on the point that on Thursday a follow up meeting will take place in this regard.