New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday ruled out a visit to Pakistan for the Kartarpur Corridor opening, making it clear that he would be only leading the first all-party "jatha" to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara to pay obeisance.
Amid some reports suggesting that Dr Manmohan Singh had accepted Pakistan's invitation to go there for the opening of Kartarpur Corridor, the Chief Minister told reporters here that he did not believe the former Prime Minister had any such plans either.
"There is no question of me going (to Pakistan for Kartarpur corridor opening) and I feel Dr Manmohan Singh will not go as well," he said, pointing out that there was a huge difference between visiting Pakistan and going to the Gurdwara through the corridor.
Raveen Thukral, Media Advisor to the Punjab Chief Minister, said the fact was that Dr Singh had accepted Capt Amarinder Singh's invitation to join the jatha, to be led by the chief minister, through the Kartarpur Corridor, to pay obeisance at the historic gurdwara across the border on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.
As far as visiting Pakistan is concerned, the chief minister reiterated that he would not go there till Pak stops cross border terrorism. He said Punjab was the worst sufferer of Pakistan's cross-border terrorism and he cannot think of going there till it stops.
The Chief Minister had earlier in the day called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Dr Manmohan Singh to extend a formal invitation to participate in the main events organised by the state government to mark the historic occasion.
Both Modi and Kovind had accepted the invite, while the former Prime Minister had also agreed to join the jatha that would go to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara on the opening day of the corridor.
Asked if Pakistan was playing a dirty game over the Kartarpur corridor, the Chief Minister said the question should be put to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
India, on its part, was fully geared to ensure the security and safety of the pilgrims, he added.
