ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that party chief and prime minister-in-waiting Imran Khan has decided against inviting foreign dignitaries and celebrities to his oath-taking and opted for a simple ceremony instead.
With 116 seats in the National Assembly, the PTI is all set to form its government in the Centre with help of its allies and independent candidates who flocked the party in the aftermath of general elections 2018.
The announcement of a simple ceremony came after Fawad Chaudhry had announced on Wednesday that the PTI will invite several foreign dignitaries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, besides a number of Indian celebrities and cricket stars, including Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavasker and Navjot Singh Sidhu.
However, the PTI chief has second thoughts about his oath-taking ceremony and opted against a fancy ceremony. “The PTI chairman has directed to stage the oath-taking event with austerity,” Fawad Chaudhry said, adding, “Imran will take his oath in a simple ceremony at the President House [instead of a public ceremony at D-Chowk].”
PTI leader Naeemul Haq had said that Imran Khan will take oath at D-Chowk in Islamabad. “Imran Khan would prefer a peoples ceremony of oath-taking where thousands can watch him take the oath as PM of Pakistan. Perhaps D-Chowk area may be the right place to do it. Let’s hope so. Will keep on updating on this,” he had tweeted.
The PTI spokesperson went on to add that the ceremony will be a completely national event, in which only a few close friends of Imran Khan will be present. Talking to media about preparations for the oath-taking ceremony, Fawad said Imran Khan has directed that the ceremony should be “very simple and not ostentatious”.