August 18 saw a historic moment in Pakistan, as former Pakistan cricket captain and leader of PTI party Imran Khan became the 22nd Prime Minister of the nation. Imran had invited his former peers in Indian cricketers Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Navjot Singh Sidhu to his swearing-in ceremony.
Though Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar declined the invitation citing personal and professional reasons; Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is a minister in Congress’ government in Punjab, accepted the invitation and reached the Wagah border to attend the ceremony.
Addressing the media in Islamabad, Sidhu said, "It is our duty that we go back and ask our governments to take a step ahead. I hope that if we take one step forward, people here will take two steps forward."
During the ceremony, Sidhu was seated beside the President of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was also seen hugging the Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa.
Sidhu hugging the Pakistani army chief didn’t sit well with the Indian public and he was criticized for doing so at a time when many Indian soldiers are being martyred fighting the Pakistan sponsored terrorists in Kashmir.
"General Bajwa Sahab hugged me and said that it is time for peace. It is my dream as well. Today morning he came up to me and told me that the Pakistan government is thinking of opening a route in Katarpur to mark the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev," said Sidhu while explaining his hug with Pak army chief.
“These moments of democratic change in Pakistan are very important. I feel lucky that Imran Khan, being a friend, invited me. It is an honor for me. I am going to Pakistan as a goodwill ambassador. I am going there with the hope that relations between our two nations will improve," Sidhu told media at the Attari-Wagah border.
Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Jammu, and Kashmir’s Congress chief said that Sidhu should have avoided sitting next to the PoK president. He said, “He is a responsible person and a minister. Only he can answer, but yes he could have avoided this.”
On Saturday, political parties including the BJP and Congress criticised Congress MP and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for hugging the Pak Army chief and sitting next to PoK president Masood Khan at Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony.
“Navjot Singh Sidhu is not just an individual but also a member of a political party and a cabinet minister in the Punjab government. The Congress needs to answer some serious questions in this regard. As per the protocol, Sidhu was not going to sit with PoK President. Initially, Masood Khan was sitting at the back but was later brought to the front and made to sit with Sidhu. Navjot must have known that this man is the alleged President of PoK. He should have objected from sitting next to him," BJP leader Sambit Patra said.
(with inputs from dnaindia.com)
