Imran Khan backs Navjot Singh Sidhu over Pak visit, says those targetting him doing disservice to peace

Sidhu has been facing ire over his visit to Pakistan where he was seen hugging Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and sitting next to PoK 'President' Masood Khan.

ISLAMABAD: As cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu battles controversies over his visit to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday came to the rescue of his his old friend. Imran thanked Sidhu for coming to Pakistan to attend his oath ceremony and also hit out at those raising questions over his visit.

"I want to thank Sidhu for coming to Pak for my oath taking. He was an ambassador of peace&was given amazing love&affection by people of Pak. Those in India who targeted him are doing a great disservice to peace in the subcontinent - without peace our people can't progress (sic)," the Pakistani PM tweeted.

He called for a dialogue with India to solve issues between the two countries, and also mentioned that Kashmir should feature in the talks. "To move forward Pakistan and India must dialogue and resolve their conflicts incl Kashmir: The best way to alleviate poverty and uplift the people of the subcontinent is to resolve our differences through dialogue and start trading, (sic)" he tweeted.

Sidhu has been facing ire over his visit to Pakistan where he was seen hugging Pakistani Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and sitting next to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) 'President' Masood Khan. Brushing aside the controversies surrounding his visit, Sidhu remained defiant and said "nobody tells me what to do. I act as per my conscience."

He also said that he was hurt with the controversy over his hug to General Bajwa, saying, “It was just a moment with General Bajwa as he came to me when I was sitting in the front row. I never interacted with him after that.”

The Punjab minister said that Pakistan was not a “no man’s land”, pointing out that several people go from India to Pakistan and vice versa on a daily basis. He added that Pakistani journalists, politicians and other people “gave me immense love”.