Amritsar, November 5: Ahead of the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, posters featuring cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan appeared in Punjab. In what could have sparked controversy, the poster called "Sidhu and Imran Khan as the real heroes for opening Kartarpur Corridor". The much-awaited corridor will connect Pakistan's Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. Navjot Singh Sidhu Accepts Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s Invitation to Kartarpur Corridor Inauguration Ceremony.

This development comes a day after Pakistan PM Imran Khan formally invited the Indian National Congress (INC) for the opening ceremony of Kartarpur Corridor. The corridor will be inaugurated on November 9 at Pakistan's Narowal. Kartarpur Corridor Opening: Navjot Singh Sidhu Writes to EAM S Jaishankar, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Seeking Permission to Visit Pakistan.

ANI Tweet:

Earlier, Sidhu had written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking permission to travel to Pakistan. "As a humble Sikh, it shall be a great honour to pay obeisance to our great Guru Baba Nanak on this historic occasion and connect to our roots," he wrote in his letter to MEA.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will be among 575 people visiting inaugural jatha to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib through Kartarpur Corridor.

Last week, India and Pakistan had signed the agreement that allowed Indian pilgrims to undertake a visa-free visit to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through Kartarpur Corridor. The agreement will allow maximum 5,000 Indian pilgrims daily to visit the holy shrine where Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 05, 2019 10:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).