Sikh community celebrates opening of Kartarpur Corridor, thanked PM

PESHAWAR, Nov 05 (APP):Provincial Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai has said there was complete peace and religious freedom in the country and tourists could visit any religious site fearlessly.

He was addressing a ceremony arranged by Peshawar Sikh Community to celebrate opening of Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh Community by Prime Minister Imran Khan here at Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh at Mohalla Jogan Shah in interior city Peshawar late last night.

Shaukat Yousafzai said that Pakistan was a democratic country where all minorities had equal rights and each community was free to exercise rituals of their respective religions.

Unfortunately, the provincial information said that Pakistan had been victim of terrorism for the last 15 to 20 years which attached an extremist stigma to it.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had been struggling to improve image of the country in the comity of world nations to wash the stigma and as part of such efforts, he added the prime minister made a historic speech in the UN General Assembly, presenting the real and true essence of Islam.

During the speech, the prime minister apprised that Islam was not a conservative religion, rather it preached peace and harmony and provided for freedom for all minority communities.

He said the country’s economy was turning around as a result of prudent economic policies of the government, adding financial and current account deficit was decreasing. He said that the country’s currency was gradually stabilizing and investment had started pouring in.

He said it was high time we supported the government to continue with such pragmatic economic measures and give impetus to such efforts.

But he added the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was out to push the country towards de-stabilization to serve his personal interests.

He said there was a need to support Kashmir people in their just cause but Maulana Fazlur Rehman had inflicted heavy loss to it like an enemy.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to improve relations with neighboring countries and opening of Kartarpur corridor and Afghan border were testament in this regard, which had improved the country’s world over, he added.