CM Punjab host a reception in the honour of Navjot Singh Sidhu

Lahore : Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that he welcomes the honorable guests coming from other side of the border to the historical city of Lahore. Pakistan fully respects the religious traditions of Sikh community and has long been allowing access to the visitants coming from India to their sacred places in Pakistan and would continue to do so in future as well.

 He was addressing a ceremony held in honor of guests coming from India at historic Hazoori Bagh here today.

Chief Minister said that famous poets like Waris Shah, Bulleh Shah as well as different spiritual saints had promoted mutual love and this sentiment of love is also oozing from the shrine of Hazrat Nizam uddin Aulia.  Every year thousands of Indian Sikhs visit Pakistan to pay homage to their sacred places here, he said.

Punjab has the honor to welcome thousands of Sikh brethren every year to their sacred places in Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and at the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore. Now, the step of establishing Kartarpur Corridor for reaching out to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib will enable the Sikhs from India as well as from other parts of the world to visit their religious places, he added.

He said that Pakistan has been providing facilities to Sikh community and Indian yatris to have access to their religious places and will do so in future as well. Pakistan is a peaceful country; we believe in peace and give a message of peace and friendship to India and rest of the world.

Pakistan wants solution of problems through purposeful dialogues and both the countries should spend their resources for poverty alleviation and public welfare by solving mutual differences.

He said that Sikhs and other minorities have complete religious freedom in Pakistan and the duty of protection and well-being of their sacred places is performed amicably.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has offered to solve differences with India through dialogue in his first speech because Pakistanis only want love. Usman Buzdar said that step of opening Kartarpur Corridor has given another positive message to India. The soil of Punjab is imbibed in the emotions of love and no one could now stop spreading the fragrance of love. Sikh visitants will return back from Pakistan with a positive message. We want to solve all issues including the core issue of Kashmir through dialogue, he added. He said that Pakistan wants peace and it is hoped that India will also respond positively.

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is going to write a new history. We have already said that we will take two steps if India moves one step forward. Both the countries should follow peace as we have fought purposeless wars. Friends can be changed but not neighbors.

Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu said that the job which was not done in 71 years has been done in three months. A hand of friendship has moved forward and it should move ahead further.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is a visionary leader and distances will be further reduced. A dinner was also held in honor of guests coming from India.