–Cites examples of Modi, late Vajpayee in taking similar peace initiatives
–Says hugged Gen Bajwa after he promised to open Kartarpur Sahib corridor
Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said his recent visit to Pakistan was sanctioned by the Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, after all the due procedures being followed in that regard, a local media outlet reported.
He expressed these views while giving an interview to an Indian private media outlet.
He said that the minister had called him on the night of August 14 and said, “Putar jee teri permission hogaye hay (son you have the permission).”
Further, he relied upon the precedent set by the former (late) Indian prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee and incumbent PM Narendra Modi in taking peace initiative.
“Did Vajpayee not go?”, “Did Vajpayee not instigate a peace initiative? Then why am I being targeted?” he said.
He further asked why does the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) exchange sweets with Pakistani Rangers on August 15?
“I went after being invited five to ten times,” he said. “All the official measures were taken … Imran called me and said you must come,” he clarified.
“The Indian High Commission presented a bat autographed by the Indian cricket team to PM Imran when he was elected. Why did they do so?”, he questioned.
After being pressurised to answer why he hugged the army chief, Sidhu said, “When a general comes up to me and says Pakistan will open the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. What am I supposed to do then?”
The Congress leader even pointed out that the Indian president also appreciated his visit before criticising the media for only picking up negative views on his visit.
Upon being asked, why he was not in India to attend (late) Indian PM Vajpayee’s last rituals, Sidhu said, “I was following the thought process of Vajpayee because I went to Pakistan with a message of peace.
“If you have peace and prosperity then suddenly the guns stop booming,” he emphasised.
Sidhu also spoke about the warmth and love he received in Pakistan. “I do not even remember how many people hugged me but I know it took me half an hour to reach the lift of my hotel after entering it,” he said.
The cricketer-turned-politician also said the Indian government should ponder over the resumption of cricket ties with Pakistan as requested by the latter before suggesting that the winners of Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) should play a match.
