ISLAMABAD: The Indian cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said the Chief of the Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, wanted peace and has a desire to open border at Kartarpura for the Sikh pilgrims visiting Nankana Sahib to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
He said they wanted peace and opening of Kartarpura passage is an earnest desire of the Sikh community. He expressed the optimism that Prime Minister Imran Khan would steer his country out of crises and change its destiny. The legendary cricketer, accompanied by Vikram Singh Mehta, Imran Khan's close friend from India and Ramiz Raja, member of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning team, was addressing a press conference.
Navjot Singh Sidhu said the invitation to attend Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony is an expression of love, friendship and peace for his countrymen. There is a deep message in Imran Khan’s statement of taking two steps forward in response to one by India and it is now an obligation for him to take that message to the government across the border to resolve all the disputes with Pakistan through dialogue. He said both east and west Punjab have same culture, food and blood leading to deep emotional ties between them. He said he has received a lot of love and respect in Pakistan. He had also brought a message of love and friendship from India but the people here reciprocated with 'compound interest', he added.
Ramiz Raja said the people-to-people contacts and dialogue at the state level could help the peace process between the two countries move forward. He thanked Sidhu for taking the bold step of crossing the Wagah Border for attending Imran Khan’s oath taking ceremony despite the fact that the issue was politicised in India. He said they had an hour-long chat with Imran Khan after his oath-taking ceremony. They discussed issues pertaining to cricket as Imran Khan desired to make Pakistan cricket team the world's powerful one, he added.
Vikram Singh Mehta, a close friend of Prime Minister
Imran Khan, said he had 45 years long association with him. He was Imran's class fellow. They joined the Oxford University together, he added. He said Imran Khan has a great desire for peace in the subcontinent and the invitation to them is a testament that their friendship and close relationship is over and above the legacy of partition and religion. He said it is a historic moment for both India and Pakistan as he felt honoured to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Imran Khan.
The PTI leader Faisal Javaid Khan said dialogue is the best option for the solution of disputes between India and Pakistan. He thanked the guests for participating in the oath-taking ceremony and congratulating Imran Khan.
