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He Pleads Centre to Reopen Kartarpur Sahib Corridor 

Chandigarh: On the solemn 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, UK MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi invoked the Guru’s sacrifice for religious freedom while laying out a vision for Punjab’s economic uplift, stronger diaspora connect, and greater justice for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

Addressing media at the Chandigarh Press Club on Saturday, alongside SGPC Executive Member Paramjit Singh Raipur, Dhesi urged the Indian government to seize this historic moment by transforming Punjab into a global aviation hub. He pressed for immediate international flight connectivity from Amritsar and Chandigarh airports to the UK, Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.

“Such connectivity will not only enable the global Sikh community to visit Punjab with ease for spiritual pilgrimages, but will also give a massive boost to farmers, exporters, businesses, and entrepreneurs across Punjab, Himachal, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, and even parts of Haryana and Rajasthan,” Dhesi said.

To build on this, he demanded the revival of Punjab’s long-stalled international cargo port, highlighting its potential to catapult the region’s agri-business and export sector. As a way forward, he suggested that the Punjab government host a high-level global aviation summit — tentatively named the Punjab Fly Initiative — inviting leading airlines to Amritsar to showcase the state’s potential as a passenger and cargo hub.

Switching to issues troubling the diaspora, Dhesi made a strong pitch for robust NRI grievance redressal mechanisms. He cited recurring problems such as land disputes, property seizures, inheritance conflicts, and extortion threats faced by overseas Punjabis. To address these, he recommended:

• Setting up more dedicated NRI police stations across Punjab.

• Establishing fast-track courts for NRI-related cases.

• Empowering the Punjab NRI Commission with real executive authority, adequate funding, and permanent staff — moving it beyond a symbolic advisory body to one that delivers swift and binding justice.

On the diplomatic front, the Labour MP appealed to the Government of India to immediately reopen the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, stressing that the present thaw in Indo-Pak relations offers a timely opportunity to ease pilgrimage for lakhs of devotees. He also backed the Supreme Court’s directive on the release of all prisoners who have already served their full sentences, and made a specific plea for early resolution in the case of British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal, pending for years.

Dhesi, known for championing issues concerning Punjab and the global Sikh diaspora in the UK Parliament, said: “The anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib reminds us of our duty to protect freedom, justice, and human dignity. Strengthening aviation links, empowering NRIs, and ensuring pilgrim access to Kartarpur Sahib are steps that will secure Punjab’s prosperity and strengthen its bond with millions of Punjabis abroad.”