What Gen Bajwa told Indian cricketer Navjot Sidhu

ISLAMABAD: Although Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu is being bashed back home but in Pakistan he was warmly welcomed at the oath taking ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa hugged the Indian player at the President House and introduced himself as the “General who wanted to be a cricketer”.

Talking to Indian TV after attending the PM’s swearing in ceremony in Islamabad, Sidhu said the three defence services chiefs had to introduce themselves to the guests seated in the front row.

"He said, Navjot, We want peace," Sidhu told media about the conversation with the COAS.

This wasn't the first time that the army chief had spoken of peace and dialogue with India.

"On his own", the army chief told Sidhu that Islamabad would open the corridor to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur on the 500th birth anniversary in 2019 of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion. The shrine is built at a place believed to be Guru Nanak's final resting place.

"It was a dream come true," Sidhu told TV.

The army chief went on. "We will even think of doing better things," Sidhu said, quoting the Pak army chief.

The cricketer-politician said he prays that India takes that one step. "This is a change and any change will bring hope. Hope sees the invisible and conquers the impossible," Sidhu said.