Navjot Sidhu seeks govt clearance to attend Imran Khan’s oath ceremony in Islamabad

Imran Khan, the 65-year-old former cricketer, is set to become Pakistan’s new prime minister this week after his party emerged as with single largest majority in the national election.

Cricketer-turned-politician and Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has sought the government’s permission to attend the swearing in ceremony of Pakistan’s Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan in Islamabad.

Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu was invited by Imran Khan for his swearing-in ceremony as Pakistan’s prime minister on August 18 in Islamabad. (AFP)

“There are some formalities for which I am here. I have applied for government permission. Everything depends on India government’s permission now,” Sidhu said on Monday after submitting his application to the external affairs ministry. Every minister needs to take a political clearance from the external affairs ministry to travel abroad.

He also visited the Pakistan High Commission in the capital on Monday to discuss formalities for attending the oath taking ceremony.

Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is set to take oath of office on August 18. He has invited Indian cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Navjot Sidhu for the swearing-in ceremony.

Sindhu was the first to accept an earlier invitation extended by the PTI.

“It is (a) great honour, I accept the invitation. Men of genius are admired, men of power are feared, but men of character are trusted. Khan Sahab is a man of character. He can be trusted. Sportsmen build bridges, break barriers, unite people,” the 54-year-old Congress MLA from Amritsar East had said earlier this month.

The PTI emerged as the single largest party with 116 seats in the parliamentary elections in Pakistan last month.