Union minister and Shiramoni Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday took a dig at Punjab minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu as she returned from Pakistan after attending the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor.


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Talking to mediapersons at the Attari-Wagah border, the Union minister said that Sidhu seems to have “more love and respect” in Pakistan than he has in India, adding that the cricketer-turned-politician has “some good relationships over there”.


When asked by a reporter about Sidhu’s friendship with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the SAD leader said, “Yes I think he (Imran Khan) offered him (Sidhu) to fight election from Pakistan. He seems to have more of love and respect in Pakistan than what I noticed over here. He has some good relationships over there.”



The remark was in connection with Pakistani Prime Minister’s comment on Wednesday that Sidhu would win if he contested elections in the neighbouring country.


“I heard there was a lot of criticism of Sidhu when he went back after my oath-taking ceremony. I don't know why he was criticised. He was just talking about peace and brotherhood. He can come and contest election here in Pakistan's Punjab, he'll win,” Khan had said while speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kararpur corridor.


Speaking at the event, Sidhu also showered praises on the Pakistan Prime Minister, referring to him as “yaar, dildaar Imran Khan”.


While Sidhu attended the ground-breaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor on a personal invitation from Imran Khan, Union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and HS Puri were authorised by the Indian government to attend the same.


Pakistan had extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to attend the ground-breaking ceremony, but she expressed her inability for the same. Welcoming the invitation, Sushma had declared that Harsimrat and Puri would go to Pakistan to attend the event.