Former Indian cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said he came to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan with a message of love. Sidhu, who is the lone Indian who attended the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan, told a press conference, "I am taking back 100 times more love to India than what I brought to Pakistan."
He expressed optimism that Khan's victory will take Pakistan-India relations to new heights as he is a man of commitment and great determination. "It's our duty that we go back and tell our government for taking a step forward and if we do so, people in Pakistan will take two steps forward as Imran said in his victory speech," said Sidhu.
He said he received a warm welcome on his arrival in Pakistan and had great conversation with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa when they met during the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan held at President House Saturday morning.
"General Bajwa hugged me and said we want peace, so let's swim in a blue ocean and shun the red ocean. It's my dream and this is the reason I'm here in capacity of Imran Khan's friend and not as a politician. I am here for love, friendship and harmony and not doing politics," he maintained. He also said General Bajwa also talked about opening Kartapur route, adding, "The Army Chief [General Bajwa] came to me and said we were thinking to open the Kartarpur route on 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev."
Throughout the press conference, Sidhu kept reciting Punjabi poetry to praise his friend Khan and also spoke in Punjabi. He said the conversation with General Bajwa also took place in Punjabi. "A morning is here in Pakistan with a new government led by a great leader Imran Khan who can change the destiny of the country," he added. He said River Ravi is on both sides of Pakistani and Indian Punjab. "If border between Pakistani Punjab and Indian Punjab is opened, the development which was gained in 60 years can be gained only in six months," he declared.
Vikram Singh was also present in the press conference. He said, "I know Imran Khan for the last 45 years. We used to be at Oxford. Imran Khan is such a good friend of mine." Rameez Raja, a former Pakistani cricketer, who was also present in the press conference, thanked Sidhu, Vikram and others for coming to Pakistan amid worse political tension between the two countries.