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Imran Khan’s oath ceremony will be simple, only a few close friends invited: Party
It was not immediately clear whether former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev would be among the close friends.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has done a U-turn on its plans to invite foreign dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the swearing-in of Imran Khan, with a party spokesman saying the event would be conducted with austerity.
Foreign dignitaries won’t be invited to Khan’s inauguration, expected to be held on August 11, on the advice of the Foreign Office, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry told the media on Thursday.
“The PTI chairman has directed to stage the oath-taking event with austerity. He will take his oath in a simple ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr (President’s House)… There will be no show of extravagance at the event,” said Chaudhry.
“It has been decided that no foreign personalities will be invited to the ceremony, it will be a completely national event. Only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be invited,” he added.
It was not immediately clear whether former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev would be among the close friends.
Chaudhry had on Wednesday said Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Navjot Siddhu and Bollywood star Aamir Khan would be invited to the event. PTI leaders had also discussed the possibility of inviting Saarc leaders, including Modi, to the swearing-in.
The spokesman also said the ceremony will be held inside the President’s House, the traditional venue for the swearing-in of prime ministers, and not at an open space outside Parliament as earlier announced by Imran Khan, who had said he wanted his swearing-in to be a public event.
The final decision on the event was made by the PTI’s core committee at a meeting held at Khan’s Bani Gala residence on Wednesday. Party leaders indicated that the proposal to invite foreign dignitaries had been shot down by the Foreign Office on grounds of security and protocol.
The PTI won 115 seats in the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament and has secured the backing of small parties and independent candidates to form the next government.
