Pakistan: Punjab govt to establish ‘Darshan Resort’ at Kartarpur

The Punjab state government of Pakistan intends to build a “Darshan Resort” adjacent to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, giving Sikh pilgrims who stay there a glimpse of the sacred shrine. The Kartarpur corridor was opened in 2019 and connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the birthplace of Sikhism, where Guru Nanak Dev lived and died at the beginning of the 16th century. The 4-kilometer corridor allows Indian pilgrims to enter Gurdwara Darbar Sahib without requiring a visa. “The construction of a five-storey Darshan Resort will start next month with an estimated cost of PKR300 million,” Punjab Secretary Tourism Raja Jahangir Anwar was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Anwar said the project has been envisaged to facilitate the Sikhs coming from across the globe. About the project, he said it would be built just 500 meters away from the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. “The ground breaking of the project will be held next month. And by the end of 2024, the resort will be completed,” Anwar said, adding that the Punjab government will fund the whole project. The provincial secretary added that the top level of Darshan Resort will feature a mini cinema, a gym, and at least ten suite rooms. According to him, the resort will also provide a breathtaking aerial view of Karatarpur Sahib. Anwar stated, “The Punjab Tourism Department has already received permission from Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to open the 50-room Darshan Resort.” Because Guru Nanak Dev, the first Guru of Sikhism, spent the last years of his life in Kartarpur, the city holds particular significance for Sikhs. (With agency inputs)