Former Indian cricketer and current Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who was the only player to receive an invitation for attending the oath-taking ceremony of legendary Imran Khan, voiced for a better relationship between both the countries.
Political party Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was sworn-in as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan at an oath-taking ceremony at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (the President’s house) in Islamabad.
Sidhu, who was seated beside Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) President Masood Khan said, I have come to Lahore to take part in the in the happiness of my friend Imran Khan.” I have come here not as a politician but as a friend,” added the cricketer-turned-politician who is also an MLA in the Congress-ruled Punjab state government.
He was among the three former Indian cricketers alongside Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev who have been invited by Khan personally to attend his oath-taking ceremony. While, both Dev and Gavaskar decided to skip the event citing prior commitments, Sidhu braved all the insults and taunts he was subject to on social media and arrived in Pakistan on Friday.
“Hindustan jeevay, Pakistan jeevay,” he chanted reading a verse he had written for his speech. “I have seen Khan converting his weaknesses into his strength. I wish Imran becomes a symbol of prosperity (for his country),” he added.
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When asked on what he had brought for the new political head of Pakistan, Sidhu replied “I have brought a Kashmiri Shawl for Khan Sahib.”
Relations between both the sides have strained further over the years after several terrorist groups from across the border launched attacks first in Mumbai and then in the army camp in Kashmir’s Uri. India retaliated by carrying out surgical strikes on terrorist camps inside Pakistan.
But Sidhu vouched for better ties with Imran at the helm. He called himself ‘a goodwill ambassador of India’ and said that he had ‘brought a message of love to Pakistan’.
According to a report in The Dawn, the opening-batsman recalled how the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also made several efforts in improving ties with Pakistan.
Quoting Mr Vajpayee, he said “If there is a fire at a neighbour’s house, we will also get the heat,” reported PTI.
Vajpayee, who was credited of becoming the first non-Congress Prime Minister to have served a full five-year term had always evoked for better ties with Pakistan and even called them for a meeting to resolve the Pakistan issue.
Meanwhile, Imran who led Pakistan to a World Cup victory in 1992, stepped at the helm of his country’s affairs after a 22-year struggle.