Imran khan not to call foreign leaders to oath-taking

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has decided not to invite foreign leaders, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to his oath-taking ceremony, officials said Thursday.

Imran Khan, who is going to form next government, had said he would stay in the ministers’ enclosure after swearing-in as PM instead of the official residence of the Prime Minister. He also directed a simple oath-taking ceremony and ordered not to invite foreign personalities.

The cricketer-turned politician has asked the administration to provide minimal protocol to the federal and provincial ministers.

PTI party had planned to invite several famous celebrities and sports personalities from across the border. Invitations were sent to Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Aamir Khan.

Earlier, in a wide-ranging address to the nation after election victory, Imran Khan called for better Indo-Pak ties. “If we want to slash poverty in the region, then we (Pakistan and India) must practice healthy trade ties,” he said.

“This blame game that whatever goes wrong in Pakistan is because of India and vice versa brings us back to square one. If India comes and takes one step towards us, we will take two steps toward them. Right now, it is one-sided where India is constantly blaming us,” he said.

On Thursday, the foreign office also confirmed that no foreign dignitary would attend the oath-taking ceremony.

Spokesman Dr Mohammed Faisal mentioned a tweet by PTI announcing a decision that “no dignitary from abroad except a few close friends of PTI chairman Imran Khan would attend the simple and dignified oath-taking at Aiwan-e-Sadar”.