Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Wednesday asked the country’s Foreign Office if it could invite heads of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to his oath-taking ceremony on August 11, Dawn reported, quoting party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry. Khan’s party emerged the single-largest in national elections held on July 25, and is set to become the next prime minister.
The Foreign Office reportedly said it will be a bigger embarrassment for Pakistan if Modi declined the invitation. Chaudhry, however, said that Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and former cricketers Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar have already been invited. Imran Khan is a former cricketer himself, who led Pakistan to a World Cup victory in 1992.
The party also wants to invite the heads of countries that are members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, as well as leaders of China and Turkey.
On Monday, Modi called up Khan after PTI emerged as the single-largest party in the elections. He congratulated Khan and “expressed hope that democracy will take deeper roots in Pakistan”. Modi also “reiterated his vision of peace and development in the entire neighbourhood”.
Khan thanked Prime Minister Modi for his wishes and emphasised that disputes should be resolved through dialogue. “Wars and bloodshed, instead of resolving disputes, lead to tragedies,” he had said.
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