Even as he underlined the need for vigilance against Pakistan’s nefarious designs, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Amarinder Singh on Tuesday made it clear that regardless of security concerns, the Kartarpur Corridor will remain open for ‘Khulle Darshan Deedar’ (free access) of Gurdwara (Sikh shrine) Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

In a statement in the Punjab Assembly, the CM asserted that “we will not let Kartarpur Corridor be closed down”. Amarinder, who had requested the Speaker for permission to make his statement before the Question Hour, was responding to the criticism by the opposition of certain recent remarks of the state Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta regarding the threat potential of the Kartarpur Corridor.

“The DGP had apologised; everybody makes mistakes; even I make mistakes, we are human beings,” said Amarinder, asking if there was anyone from the Opposition who could claim not to have made mistakes. Pointing out that 35000 Punjabis and 1700 policemen had lost their lives, in addition to the Army soldiers, during the years of militancy in the stare, the CM said adding the Corridor will remain open, whatever may be the concerns.

The apprehensions of threat to the security of the people and the country were, however, “serious”, the CM said, adding that these apprehensions “are not because the Corridor has been opened but because of the bad intent of Pakistan. The CM said his government had classified documents which he could not circulate in the House. After meddling in Kashmir for long, the ISI had only one task now – to disturb the peace of Punjab, he said, adding that Pakistan was blatantly trying to foment trouble in the state.

In the last three years, his government had succeeded in checking ISI’s nefarious designs, with the Punjab Police had busted 32 modules and arrested 154 terrorists besides seizure of arms and ammunition.

Showing pictures of Chinese drones, Amarinder said these had been seized from a man swimming through Raavi but there might be others that had not been caught.

“Who knows what their motive is,” he added. “What problem ISI has with the Taliban, Iran or Balochistan, we don’t know. But what they have been doing in India is known to all. Earlier it was Kashmir, and now even Punjab is their target,” said the CM. Amarinder said Pakistan could not be trusted, as was evident from the developments in 1947, 1965, 1971 and the Kargil war.

The Pak army was highly committed against India, with Prime Minister Imran Khan being a mere puppet in their hands, he said, adding that ISI was also a part of Pakistan Army.